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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Instituta  for  Historical  Microraproductiona  /  institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  hiatoriquaa 


Tachnical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notoa  tachniquas  at  bibliographiquaa 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographicaliy  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  baiow. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  maillaur  axamplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  possibia  da  sa  procurar.  Las  details 
da  cat  axamplaira  qui  sont  paut-Atra  uniquas  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modifier 
una  imaga  raproduita.  ou  qui  pai'vant  exiger  una 
modification  dans  la  m^thoda  normala  da  filmaga 
sent  indiquis  ci-dassous. 


□    Colourad  covars/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


□   Colourad  pagas/ 
Pagaa  da  coulaur 


r~~l   Covars  damagad/ 


D 


D 


Couvartura  andommagia 


Covars  rastorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  rastaurte  at/ou  paliiculia 


r~n    Covar  titia  missing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 


Colourad  mapa/ 

Cartas  gtegraphiquaa  9n  coulaur 


Colourad  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  blu*  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 


r~~1   Colourad  platas  and/or  illuatrations/ 


Ptanchaa  at/ou  illustrations  9n  coulaur 


Bound  with  othar  matarial/ 
RaliA  avac  d'autras  documants 


Tight  binding  may  cauaa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  intarior  margin/ 

La  r»  liura  sarria  paut  causar  da  I'ombra  ou  da  la 
diatorsion  la  long  da  la  marga  intiriaura 

Blank  laavas  addad  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  tha  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutAes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissant  dana  la  taxte. 
maia.  lorsqua  cela  itait  possibia.  ces  pagaa  n'ont 
pas  «t«  film^aa. 


D 

D 
0 
D 
S 
D 


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Pagas  damaged/ 
Pagas  andommagias 

Pagas  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pagas  rastauries  at/ou  pailicuiies 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dicolortes.  tachatAes  ou  piquies 

Pagas  detached/ 
Pagas  ditachies 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualit*  inigala  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  material  suppKmantaire 


r~~|    Only  edition  available/ 


Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  ref limed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Lea  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  fauillet  d'errata.  una  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  iti  filmies  A  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtanir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplimantaires: 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

J 

12X 


16X 


^Blfiw*' 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  film«ci  h«r«  Hm  b««n  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

D.B.  WeMon  Library 
University  of  Wattem  Ontario 


L'axamplaira  filmA  fut  raproduit  grica  i  la 
g^nirositA  da: 

D.B.  WaMon  Library 
University  of  Western  Ontario 


Tha  Imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tiM  baat  quality 
possibia  coisidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  icaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacificationa. 


Original  copiaa  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  fllmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impraa- 
•ion.  or  tha  bacic  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copiaa  ara  fiimad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illtiatratad  impraa- 
•ion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprasslon. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  mleroficha 
•hall  contain  tha  aymbol  — ^  (moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  aymbol  ▼  (moaning  "END"), 
whichavar  applias. 


Laa  imagaa  suh^antaa  ont  4t4  raproduitas  avac  la 
plua  grand  soin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  Taxampiaira  film*,  at  an 
conformit*  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 

Laa  axamplairas  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  wi 
paplar  aat  imprimto  sont  filmis  it  commandant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
damlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  laa  autras  axamplairas 
originaux  aont  fiimto  an  commanpant  par  la 
pramiAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'impraasion  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  damlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 

Un  daa  symbolaa  suhranta  apparattra  sur  la 
damlAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha^  salon  la 
caa:  la  symbola  — »>  signifia  "A  SUIVRE",  la 
aymbola  ▼  signifia  "FIN". 


Mapa.  piatas,  charts,  ate.,  may  ba  fiimad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratios.  Thcaa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  inciudad  in  ona  axposura  ara  fllmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  comar.  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  aa  many  framaa  as 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrams  illustrata  tha 
mathod: 


l.aa  cartaa,  planchaa.  tablaaux.  ate.,  pauvant  itra 
filmte  i  daa  taux  da  rMuction  diff Grants. 
Lorsqua  la  documant  aat  trop  grand  pour  Atra 
raproduit  an  un  saul  cliche,  11  aat  film*  i  partir 
da  i'angia  sup4riaur  gaucha,  da  gauciia  i  droita. 
at  da  haut  an  bamr  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d'Imagas  n^cassaira.  Las  diagrsmmaa  suivanta 
illuatrant  la  m^thoda. 


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CIRCUMNAYIGATION 


OF   THE 


GLOBE. 


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Canoe  of  the  Tonga  bland*. 


NEW-YORK  : 
HARPER   &   BROTHERS. 

18  3  7. 


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AN 

HISTORICAL  ACCOUNT 

or  THI 

CIRCUMNAVIGATION 

or    THB 

GLOBE, 

AND  or 

* 

THE     PROGRESS     OF    DISCOVERT 
IN  THB 

PACIFIC    OCEAN, 

FROM  THE  VOYAGE  OF  MAGELLAN  TO  THE  DEATH  OF  COOK. 
ILLUSTRATED  HT  NUIfBROnS  ENGRAVINGS. 


NEW-YORK: 

HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  83  CLIFF-ST. 


18  37. 


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PREFACE. 


I    .' 


t 


The  object  of  the  present  work  is  to  give  a  com- 
prehensive history  of  the  various  circumnavigations 
of  the  globe,  and  to  describe  at  the  same  time  the 
progress  of  discovery  in  Polynesia. 

The  innumerable  islands  which  are  scattered 
over  the  vast  expanse  of  the  Pacific  have  in  all 
times  excited  the  liveliest  regard.  In  few  regions 
of  the  earth  does  Nature  present  a  more  fascinating 
•aspect,  or  lavish  her  gifts  with  more  bountiful 
profusion.  Favoured  by  mild  and  serene  skies, 
the  fertile  soil  of  these  insular  territories  produces 
the  most  luxuriant  vegetation,  which,  with  its  many 
rich  and  varied  hues,  clothes  the  whole  land,  from 
the  margin  of  the  sea  to  the  summits  of  the  loftiest 
mountains.  As  the  voyager  sails  along  their  pic* 
turesque  shores,  he  is  refreshed  by  perfumes  borne 
on  the  breeze,  from  woods  which  at  the  same  time 
display  the  bud,  the  blossom,  and  the  mature  fruit. 
Nor  is  the  character  of  their  inhabitants  less  cal- 
culated to  inspire  interest.    In  countries  where  the 

A  2 


VI 


PREFACE. 


bread-tree  afTords  "  the  unreaped  harvest  of  unfur- 
rowed  fields,"  where  the  people  neither  plough  nor 
sow,  nor  do  any  work,  their  first  visiters  believed 
that  they  had  at  length  discovered  the  happy  region 
with  which  poets  adorned  the  golden  age.  To  later 
explorers,  as  has  been  remarked  by  Humboldt, "  the 
state  of  half-civilization  in  which  these  islanders 
are  found  gives  a  peculiar  charm  to  the  descrip- 
tion of  their  manners.  Here  a  king  followed  by  a 
numerous  suite  comes  aiid  presents  the  productions 
of  his  orchard ;  there  the  funeral-festival  imbrowns 
the  shade  of  the  lofty  forest.  Such  pictures  have 
more  attraction  than  those  which  portray  the  solemn 
gravity  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Missouri  or  the 
Maranon."  >■ 

In  every  compendium  of  voyages,  from  the  days 
of  Purchas  downward,  a  prominent  place  has  been 
assigned  to  the  discoveries  and  exploits  of  those 
navigators  whose  course  has  led  them  to  encompass 
the  world,  whether  in  search  of  imaginary  conti- 
nents, in  quest  of  warlike  adventure,  or  in  the  peace- 
ful pursuit  of  scientific  knowledge.  But  the  manner 
in  which  the  history  of  circumnavigation  is  given 
in  most  of  the  works  alluded  to,  tends  to  repel 
rather  than  to  invite  the  attention  of  the  common 
reader.  In  the  imperfect  abridgments  which  have 
from  time  to  time  appeared,  no  endeavour  is  made 
to  supply  the  deficiencies,  or  to  illustrate  the  obscu- 


J 


^j'"- 


n 


PREFACE. 


Vll 


f 


t 


U- 


rities  of  the  original  narrative,  by  the  light  of  more 
recent  discovery.  The  mind  is  wearied  by  innu- 
merable repetitions,  and  perplexed  by  irreconcilable 
discrepances.  The  vast  extent,  too,  of  some  col- 
lections cannot  fail  to  deter  a  majority  of  inquirers : 
in  one  of  which  (Bibliothdque  Universelle  des  Voy- 
ages, par  M.  Albert  Mont^mont,  in  8vo.,  Paris, 
1833-1835)  the  "  Voyages  autour  du  Monde"  oc- 
cupy about  twenty  volumes. 

The  excellent  work  of  the  late  Admiral  Bumey 
may  be  said  to  be  almost  the  only  one  in  which  an 
attempt  has  been  made  to  digest  this  mass  of  crude 
materials  in  a  methodical  and  connected  narrative, 
possessing  the  advantages  of  perspicuous  arrange- 
ment, and  elucidated  by  the  investigations  of  recent 
navigators.  Of  the  "  Chronological  History  of  the 
Discoveries  in  the  South  Sea"  every  one  must  speak 
with  respect,  as  of  a  book  distinguished  by  great 
erudition  and  by  laborious  research.  Ii  chiefly  ad- 
dresses itself,  however,  to  the  professional  and 
scientific  student ;  and  is,  indeed,  obviously  ren- 
dered unfit  for  general  perusal  by  the  copiousness 
and  minuteness  of  its  technical  details.  Though 
bringing  down  the  annals  of  maritime  enterprise 
no  farther  than  to  the  commencement  of  the  reign 
of  George  III.,  it  occupies  five  volumes  in  quarto, 
leaving  the  history  of  the  short  period  comprehend- 
ed between  that  epoch  and  the  death  of  Cook  (un- 


.,.'  f^ 


fW 


PREFACE. 


doubtedly  the  most  interesting  of  the  whole)  to  be 
pursued  in  works  extending  to  more  than  three 
times  the  same  amount. 

Nor  must  it  be  overlooked,  that  however  excel- 
lent the  performance  of  Admiral  Bumey  may  have 
been  in  its  own  day,  it  has  now  become  in  some 
measure  antiquated,  from  the  great  accessions 
which  geographical  science  has  received  since  his 
work  was  submitted  to  the  public.  To  our  knowl- 
edge of  the  Archipelago  of  Tonga  and  Feejee,  great 
contributiofis  have  been  lately  made  by  Mariner 
and  D'Urville.  Otaheite  and  the  Society  Islands 
have  been  elucidated  with  singular  fidelity  by  the 
Reverend  Mr.  Ellis,  as  well  as  by  Messrs.  Bennet 
and  Tyerman.  The  labours  of  the  gentlemen  just 
named,  with  those  of  the  American  missionary,  Mr. 
Stewart,  of  the  officers  of  H.  M.  S.  the  Blonde,  and 
of  MM.  Morineau  and  Botta,  have  greatly  enlarged 
our  acquaintance  with  the  Sandwich  group.  Much 
light  has  been  thrown  on  New  Zealand  by  the 
writings  of  Cruise,  Rutherford,  Yate,  Earle,  D'Ur- 
ville,  and  the  contributors  to  the  Missionary  Regis- 
ter. The  Ladrone  or  Marian  Islands,  the  Naviga- 
tors*, and  the  vast  range  of  the  Carolines,  have  been 
for  the  first  time  satisfactorily  illustrated  by  the  in- 
quiries of  Freycinet  and  Kotzebue.  The  voyager 
last  mentioned,  as  also  his  countryman  Billinghau- 
sen,  M.  Duperrey,  and  Captain  Beechey,  have 


PREFACE. 


IX 


4 


completed  the  discovery  of  the  Low  or  Coral  Ar- 
chipelago; and  the  researches  of  Dillon  and  of 
D'Urviile  have  supplied  much  valuable  information 
on  the  state  and  productions  of  the  New  Hebrides. 

In  preparing  this  volume,  the  greatest  pains  have 
been  taken  to  turn  to  advantage  the  important  in- 
vestigations of  the  writers  just  named  ;  and  while 
much  interesting  matter  has  been  derived  from  the 
collections  of  Debrosses,  Dalrymple,  and  Burney, 
the  work,  it  is  hoped,  will  afford  evidence  that  in 
no  instance  where  they  were  accessible  have  the 
original  authorities  been  neglected. 

The  present  volume  comprises  the  history  of  cir- 
cumnavigation from  Magellan  to  Cook — a  period  of 
more  than  two  centuries  and  a  half — and  details 
the  proceedings  of  those  navigators  who  effected 
discoveries  in  the  Pacific  during  the  same  time. 
It  will  be  followed  by  a  second,  bringing  down  the 
narrative  to  the  present  day  ;  exhibiting  a  copious 
view  of  the  recent  French,  Russian,  and  German 
voyages,  hitherto  but  little  known  in  this  country  ; 
and  containing  a  general  chart  of  the  Pacific,  the 
appearance  of  which  has  been  postponed  in  order 
that  it  may  embrace  some  late  discoveries  of 
which  no  authentic  intelligence  has  as  yet  been 
promulgated. 

The  achievements  of  three  circumnavigators — 
Drake,  Cavendish,  and  Dampier — seemed  to  de- 


■VJMiUt  j^Mi^AJfty^: 


X  PREFACE. 

serve  a  more  minute  description  '.han  was  com- 
patible with  the  design  of  this  work,  and  an  early 
number  of  the  Edinburgh  Cabinet  Library  was 
devoted  to  an  account  of  their  lives  and  actions.* 
To  the  former  impressions  of  that  volume  was  pre- 
fixed a  brief  notice  of  some  of  the  first  discoveries 
in  the  South  Sea,  which,  as  it  is  rendered  super- 
fluous by  the  more  ample  details  now  given,  has 
been  withdrawn  in  the  last  edition,  in  order  to  make 
way  for  several  interesting  facts  and  illustrations, 
derived  from  various  books  that  have  appeared  in 
Great  Britain  and  on  the  Continent  since  it  was 
originally  issued. 

Edinburgh,  June  1,  1836.  rk^ai 

V ,     <*  No.  XXX,  of  Harpera'  Faimly  Library.) 


D 

E 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

DISCOVIRY  OF  THB  SOUTH  SEA— 1513. 

Geographical  Knowledge  of  the  Ancients.— Their  Ignorance  of 
a  Sea  to  the  East  of  China.— First  seen  by  Mar<*n  Polo  (1271- 
1295). — Progress  of  Modern  Discovery. — Columbus  (1492). — 
Papal  Bull  of  Partition  (1494).— Cabral  (1500).— Cabot  (1497- 
1517).— Cortereal  (1500).— Pinzon  (1500).— Vasco  Nunez  de 
Balboa  hears  of  the  South  Sea.— Its  Discovery  (26th  Sept., 
1513)       ..........    Page  17 

CHAPTER  II. 

CIRCUHNAVIOATION  OF  MAGELLAN— 1519-1522. 

Magellan's  Birth  and  Services. — Proposals  to  the  Spanish  Court 
accepted. — Sails  on  his  Voyage  (20th  Sept.,  1519). — Anchors 
at  Port  San  Julian. — Transactions  there. — Description  of  the 
Natives. — Discovers  the  Strait  (21  st  October,  1520).— Enters 
the  South  Sea  (28th  November). — The  Unfortunate  Islands. 
— The  Ladrunes  (6th  March,  1521). — The  Island  of  Mazagua 
or  Limasava. — Zebu. — Intercourse  with  the  Natives.— Death 
of  Magellan  (27th  Aprih. — His  Character. — Fleet  proceeds  to 
Borneo. — Arrives  at  Tiaore. — The  Ship  Vitoria  reaches  Spain 
(6th  Sept.,  1522).- Fate  of  the  Trinidad.— Results  of  the  Ex- 
pedition     .       .     30 


CHAPTER  III. 

DI800VIRIB8    AND   CIRCUMNAViaATIONS   FROM   MAGELLAN  TO 
THE  END  OF  THB  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY- 1522-1600. 

Expedition  of  Loyosa  (1525).— Discovery  of  Papua  or  New 
(Guinea  (1526).— Voyages  of  Saavedra  (1527-1529).— Of  Vil- 


xu 


CONTENTS. 


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lalobos  (1542).--Of  Legaspi  (1564).— Of  Juan  Fernandez 
(1563-1574). — Expedition  of  Mendana,  and  Discovery  of  the 
Solomon  Islands  (1567). — John  Oxenham,  the  first  English- 
man  that  sailed  on  the  Pacific  (1575). — Circumnavigation  of 
Sir  Francis  Drake  (1577-1580).— Expedition  of  Sarmiento 
(1579).— Circumnavigation  of  Cavendish  (1586-1588).— His 
Second  Voyage  (1591). — The  Falklard  Islands  discovered 
(1592).— Expedition  of  Sir  Richard  Hawkins  (1593).— Second 
Voyage  of  Mendana  (1595). — The  Marquesas. — Santa  Cruz. 
— Expedition  of  five  Dutch  Vessels  (1598).— Circumnavigation 
of  Van  Noort  (1598-1601 ).— Retrospect .        .       .     Page  54 


CHAPTER  IV. 


/ 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND  DISCOVERIES  OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH 
!  CENTURY- 1600-1700. 

Voyage  of  Quiros  (1605-1606).— La  Sagitaria.— Australia  del 
Espiritu  Santo. — Luis  Vaez  de  Torres  discovers  the  Strait 
between  New  Holland  and  New  Guinea  (1606). — Circumnav- 
igation of  Spilbergen  (1614-1617).— Of  Schouten  and  Le 
Maire  (1615-1617).— Discovery  of  Staten  Land  and  Cape 
Horn. — Cocos,  Good  Hope,  and  Horn  Islands. — New  Ireland. 
— Expedition  of  the  Nodals  (1618).— Discovery  of  New  Hol- 
land by  Dirck  Hatichs  (1616). — Circumnavigation  of  the  Nas- 
sau Fleet  (1623-1626).— Voyage  of  Tasman  (1642).— Discov- 
ery of  Van  Diemen's  Land,  of  New  Zealand,  and  the  Friendly 
Islands.— Voyages  of  Hendrick  Brower  (1642)  and  La  Roche 
(1675).— Expeditions  of  the  Bucaniers  (1683-1691).— Discov- 
ery of  Davis's  or  Easter  Island  ( 1687).— Voyage  of  Strong,  and 
Discovery  of  Falkland  Sound  (1690).— Retrospect        .      78 

,  '        CHAPTER  V. 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  FROM  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  EIGH- 
TEENTH CENTURY  TO  THE  REIGN  OF  GEORGE  III. — 1700- 
1761. 

Circumnavigation  of  Dampier  and  Funnel  (1703-1706),  ol 
Woodes  Rogers  (1708-1711),  of  Clipperton  and  Shelvocke 
(1719-1722)#  of  Roggewein  (1721-1723).— Easter  Island.— 
Pernicious  Islands.- Circumnavigation  of  Anson  '  1740-1744). 
— Objects  of  the  Expedition. — Passage  of  Cape  Horn. — Se- 
vere Sufiferings  of  the  Crew.— Juan  Fernandez.— Cruise  on 
the  American  Coasts. — Burningof  Payta.— Loss  of  the  Glou- 
cester.—Tinian.— Capture  of  tne  Manilla  Galleon.— Return 
of  Cue  Centurion  to  England.— Fate  of  the  Wager        .    Hi 


r 


CONTENTS*  Xm 


CHAPTER  VL 

CIBCUMNAVI0ATI0N8   or    BYSON,    WALLI8,    AND   CABTSSBT— 

1764-17G9. 

Vovage  of  Byron  (1764-1766).— Its  Objects.— Vain  Search  for 
Pepys'  Island.— Discovery  of  the  Islands  of  Disappointment^ 
King  George,  Prince  of  Wales,  Danger,  and  Duke  of  York.— 
Circumnavigations  of  Wallis  and  Carteret  (1766-1769).— 
Their  Separation  (1767).— Wallis  discovers  the  Islands  of 
Whitsunday,  Queen  Charlotte,  Egmont,  Cumberland,  and 
Osnaburg.— Arrives  at  Otaheite.— Transactions  there.— Sails 
for  Tinian.— Anchors  in  the  Downs  (1768).— Carteret  discov- 
ers Pitcaim's  Island  (1767).— Santa  Cruz  or  Queen  Char- 
lotto's  Islands.- The  Solomons.— St.  George's  Channel  and 
New  Ireland.— New  Hanover.— Arrives  at  Spithead  (1769) 

Page  143 

CHAPTER  VH- 

CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OW  BOUOAINVILLS— 176&-1769 

Project  for  colonizing  the  Falkland  Islands  (1763).— Their  Ces* 
sion  to  Spain  (1767).— Disputes  with  England  (1769-1771).— 
Settlements  abandoned  (1772). — Bougainville  discovers  the 
Dangerous  Archipelago  (1768).—Maitea.— Otaheite.— Inci* 
dents  during  his  Stay  there.— Takes  a  Native  with  him.— 
The  Grand  Cyclades  or  Australia  del  Espiritu  Santo. — Lou- 
isiade  or  the  Solomons. — Bouca. — Choiseul  and  Bougainville 
Islands.— Return  to  France  (1769). — The  Otaheitan  in  Paris. 
^—Voyage  of  Marion  (1771).— Expedition  of  Surville(1769). — 
Terre  des  Arsacides.- Voyage  of  Shortland  (1788).— New 
Georgia. — Retrospect     .....  ,    176 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

LIFE  OF  COOK   PREVIOUS  TO    HIS    FIRST  VOYAOS— 172S>l76d< 

Birth  and  Parentage  of  Cook. — His  Education.— His  Indentores 
with  a  Draper.— Apprenticeship  on  board  a  Ccilier. — Volun- 
teers into  the  Navy  (1755). — Appointed  Master  of  the  Mercu- 
ry (1759). — His  Services  at  Quebec.->-Hair-breadth  Escape. 
— He  first  studies  Euclid.— His  MarriBse  (1768).- Made  Ma- 
rine Surveyor  of  Newfoundland  and  LrubnMlor  (1764).— Com- 
municates an  Observation  of  an  EcUimm  to  the  Royal  Society 

B 


■L 


K. 


XIV 


/.• 


CONTENTS. 


•  t^  . 


(1767).—Hi8toryof  the  Transits  of  Venus.— Predicted  in  182^ 
by  Kepler.— Discovery  and  Observation  of  Horrox  (1639).— 
First  Appreciation  of  its  Uses.— Professor  James  Gregory 
(1663).— Dr.  Edmund  Halley  (1677-1716).— His  Exhortation 
to  future  Astronomers.- Transit  of  1761.— Preparations  for 
that  of  1769.— Proposal  to  send  a  SWp  with  Observers  to  the 
South  Sea.— Cook  promoted  to  the  Rank  of  Lieutenant,  and 
appointed  to  conduct  it  (25th  May,  1768).— His  Choice  of  a 
Vessel. — Sir  Joseph  Banks  determuies  to  join  the  Expedition. 
--'Preparations  and  Instructions  for  the  Voyage    .   Page  202 


i  I 


>■ 


r; 


CHAPTER  IX. 

*.;      !    FIKST  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK— 1768-1771. 

DepartuHB  (26th  August,  1768).— Adventure  on  Tierra  del  Fuego- 
(J6th  January,  1769). — Discovery  of  Lagoon,  Tlirum  Cap,/ 
cow,  The  Groups,  and  Chain  Islands. — Arrival  at  Otaheite.— 
Observation  of  the  Transit,  and  Incidents  during  their  Stay, 
— Discovery  of  the  Islands  of  Tetburoa,  Huaheine,  Ulieteay 
Otaha,  I'ubai,  Bolabola,  Maurua,  and  Oheteroa.— Makes  the 
East  Coast  of  New  Zealand  (7th  August).- Affrays  with  the 
Natives.  —  Doubles  the  North  Cape.  —  Discovers  Cook'» 
Straits,  and  circumnavigates  the  Islands. — Sails  for  the  Easif 
Coast  of  New  Holland. — Discovery  of  New  South  Wale» 
(igth  April,  1770).— Botany  Bay.— Intercourse  with  the  Na' 
tives. — Port  Jackson. — Daigerous  Position  of  the  Ship.—' 
Reaches  the  most  northerly  Point  of  Australia.— Rediscovery 
of  Torres'  Strait. — New  Guinea. — Timor.— Batavia.— Mor- 
tality among  the  Crew.— Anival  in  England  (12th  June^. 
1771) 21g» 

CHAPTER  X.  •         . 

SECOND  CIRCOMNATIGATION  OP  COOK— 1772-1775. 

Objects  of  the  Voyage.— Departure  (13th  July,  1772).— Search 
K>r  Bouvet's  Land.— The  Southern  Continent.— Aurora  Au»' 
trails.- Arrival  at  New  Zealand. — Visit  to  the  Low  Archipel- 
ago.—Otaheite.— Huaheine.— Ulietea.— Rediscovery  of  thflT 
Tonga  or  !^endly  Islands.- Second  Visit  to  New  Zealand, 
•^Separation  of  the  Ships. — Search  for  the  Terra  Australis  re- 
sumed. — Highest  South  Latitude  attained  (30th  Januaiy^ 
1774). — Dangerous  Illness  of  Cook. — Eastier  Island. — Lair 
Marquesas.— The  Society  Islands.— The  Tonga  Islands.— 
Nttw  Hebrides.— Discovery  of  New  Caledonia.— Norfolk  IsB 


I 


*\i. 


CONTENTS. 


X? 


«Dd.— Third  Visit  to  New  Zealand.— Run  acro«s  the  Pacific. 
— Survey  of  Tierra  del  Fuego  and  Staten  Land. — Discovery 
of  New  South  Georgia  and  Sandwich  Land.— Return  to  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope.— Adventures  of  Captain  Fumeauz.— 
Conclusion  of  the  Voyage  (30th  July,  1775).— Honours  paid 
to  Cook.— His  Narrative  of  the  Expedition.- Omai  in  Eng- 
land          Page  246 

.CHAPTER  XL 

cook's  third  voyaok— 1776-1780. 

Cbjectfl  of  the  Expedition.— Departure  (12th  July,  1776). — Ker- 

fuelen's  or  Desolation  Island. — Van  Diemen's  Land. — New 
Zealand. — Mangeea,  Wenooa-ette,  and  Wateeoo. — Palmers- 
ton  Island. — Transactions  at  the  Friendly  Islands.— The  So- 
ciety Islands.— Otaheite.—  Eimeo.— Huaheine. — Settlement 
of  Omai  there,  and  Notice  of  his  Life. — Ulietea. — Bolabola!— 
Cook  sails  Northward.— Christmas  Island. — Discovers  the 
Sandwich  Archipelago  (18th  January,  1778). — Makes  the 
Coast  of  New  Albion.— Nootka  Sound.— Cook's  River.-^ 
Behring's  Strait.— Icy  Cape. — Progress  to  the  North  arrested. 
—Revisits  the  Sandwich  islands. — Reception  by  the  Natives. 
— Cook  is  worshipped  as  their  God  Orono. — Sails  from  Kara- 
kaooa  Bay,  but  is  obliged  to  return  to  it. — Hostile  Disposition 
of  the  Natives.— The  Discovery's  Cutter  is  stolen.- tiook 
goes  on  Shore  to  recover  it. — Interview  with  the  King. — A 
Chief  slain.- Attack  by  the  Natives. — Death  of  Cook  (14th 
Februa^,  1779).— Recovery  and  Burial  of  Part  of  his  Remains. 
—The  Voyage  is  resumed.— Death  of  Captain  Clerke.— The 
Ships  reach  China.— Fur-trade.-Arrival  m  England  (4th  Oc- 
tober, 1780)     287 


CHAPTER  XIL 


:;& 


OBSKRVATIONS   ON  THB  CHARACTIR  OP  COOK. 

Honours  paid  to  him. — Personal  Appearance. — ^Temper  and 
Habits.- His  Children  and  Widow. — Energy  and  Perseve- 
rance.—Self>education. — His  vast  Contributions  to  Geogra- 
phy.— Skill  in  delineating  and  fixing  his  Discoveries. — Dis* 
covery  of  the  Means  of  preserving  the  Health^of  Seamen.— 
Advantages  derived  from  his  Voyages. — Progress  of  Civiliza- 
tion in  Polynesia.— Conclusion      343 


1 1 


M 


**»" 


mr 


u 


.  f 


I    I 


1 1, 


ENGRAVINGS. 

VioifBTTB— Canoe  of  the  Tonga  or  Friendly  Islandi. 

ManofTierradei  Fuego 104 

View  in  the  Island  of  New  Caledonia    .       .       .       .  IH 

Woman  of  Edward  Davis's  or  Easter  Island  ...  124 

Female  Dancer  of  Otaheite 186 

War-canoe  of  New  Zealand  .                      .       .  233 

Tupapow  and  Chief  Mourner  in  Otaheite      .  258 

Monuments  on  Easter  Island 267 

Man  -of  the  Island  of  Tanna,  in  the  Arch^Mlago  of  the 

New  Hebrides 2!74 

Man  of  New  Zealand 2!77 

Sledge  of  Kamtschatka 2B6 

Weapons  of  the  New  Zealanders 291 

Man  of  Sandwich  Islands  in  a  Mask      ....  312 

Man  of  Nootka  Sound 316 

Woman  of  Nootka  Sound 317 

Man  of  Prince  WilUam's  Sound 318 

Woman  of  Prince  William's  Sound       ....  319 

Canoe  of  Oonalaska       ,       ^ SSS 


t^^,**t-  ■ 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION 


or 


THE    GLOBE. 


^  ^  CHAPTER  I. 

Discovery  of  the  South  Sea. 

Geographical  knowledge  of  the  Ancients.— Their  ignorance  of  a  Sea  to 
the  East  of  China.— First  seen  by  Marco  Polo.— Progress  of  Modem 
DisGOTery.-Columbtts.— Papal  Bull  of  Partition.— Cabral.— Cabot.— 
Cortereal.—Pinxon.—Vasco  Nunez  de  Balboa  hears  of  the  South  Sea.— 
Its  Discovery. 

The  existence  of  the  vast  ocean  which  separates  the  con- 
tinents of  Asia  and  America  was  never  imagined  by  the  an- 
cients ;  nor,  indeed,  do  they  appear  to  have  nad  any  certain 
knowledge  that  Asia  on  the  east  was  bounded  by  the  sea. 

Homer  had  figured  the  world  as  a  circle  begirt  by  "  the 
great  strength  of  ocean,"  and  this  belief  in  a  circumambient 
flood  long  continued  to  prevail.  It  was  implicitly  received  by 
many  geographers,  and,  being  carried  onwarid  with  the  advance 
of  science,  was  from  time  to  time  reconciled  to  the  varying 
theories  and  conjectures  of  the  increased  knowledge  of  suc- 
ceeding ages.  Thus,  long  after  the  spherical  form  of  the  earth 
was  taught,  the  existence  of  its  ocean-girdle  was  credited ; 
and  in  the  geographical  systems  of  Eratosthenes,  Strabo,  Mela, 
and  others,  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic  were  depicted  as  laving 
on  the  one  hand  the  shores  of  Europe,  and  encircling  on  the 
other  the  mysterious  regions  of  Scythia  and  India.  Nay,  so 
far  had  the  speculations  of  philosophy  outstripped  the  rude 
navigation  of  the  times,  that  the  possibility  of  crossing  this 
unknown  ocean  was  more  than  once  contemplated,    l&ving 

B  2 


u 


1 


:i 


I    ! 


('i 


1 


18 


DISCOVERY  OF   THE   SOUTH   SEA. 


fonned  an  estimate  of  the  circumference  of  the  glohe,  Aristtf* 
tie  conceived  that  the  distance  between  the  Pillars  of  Hercules 
and  India  must  be  small,  and  that  a  communication  might  be 
effected  between  them.  Seneca  with  more  confidence  af- 
firmed, that  with  a  fair  wind  a  ship  would  sail  from  Spain  to 
the  Indies  in  a  few  days.  But  these  notions  were  far  from  be- 
ing universally  received.  Herodotus  had  early  denied  the  ex- 
istence of  this  circle  of  waters ;  and  those  who  maintained 
the  affirmative,  reasoned  on  grounds  manifestly  hypothetical, 
and  beyond  the  narrow  limits  of  their  knowledge.  Of  the 
northern  countries  of  Asia  they  knew  nothing,  nor  were  they 
acquainted  with  the  extensive  regions  beyond  the  Ganges — a 
vast  space  that  they  filled  with  their  Eastern  Sea,  which  thus 
commenced  where  their  information  stopped,  and  all  beyond 
dark.     The  progress  of  discovery  at  length  brought  to 


was 


light  the  existence  of  lands  in  those  portions  of  the  globe  sup- 
posed to  be  covered  by  the  ocean  ;  but,  proceeding  with  un- 
due haste,  it  was  next  imagined  that  Asia  extended  eastward 
in  an  indefinite  expanse,  ft  was  figured  thus  by  Ptolemy,  the 
last  and  greatest  of  the  ancient  geographers.  He  removed 
from  his  map  the  Atlanticum  Mare  Orientale  (the  eastern  At- 
lantic), whicn  had  so  long  marked  the  confines  of  geographi- 
cal research,  and  exhibited  the  continent  as  stretchmg  far  be- 
yond the  limits  previously  assigned  to  it.  His  knowledge  did 
not  enable  him  to  delineate  its  eastern  extremity,  or  the  ocean 
beyond :  he  was  therefore  induced  to  terminate  it  by  a  boun- 
dary of  "  land  unknown.*' 

With  Ptolemy  ceased  not  only  the  advance  of  science,  but 
even  the  memory  of  almost  all  that  had  been  formerly  known. 
The  long  night  which  succeeded  the  decline  of  the  Roman 
empire  was  now  closing  in,  and  a  dreary  space  intervened  be- 
fore its  shadows  were  mspelled  by  the  dawn  of  a  brighter  day 
than  the  world  had  yet  beheld. 

The  first  gleam  of  light  came  from  the  East,  where  the 
Arabs  pursued  the  study  of  geography  with  the  utmost  ardour. 
Their  systems  again  revived  the  belief  in  a  circumanibient 
ocean,  which  bound  the  earth  like  a  zone,  and  in  which  the 
world  floated  like  an  egg  in  a  basin.  That  portion  of  this  belt 
of  waters  which  was  imagined  to  flow  round  the  northeastern 
shores  of  Asia,  they  called  bv  the  name  of  **  The  Sea  of  Pitchy 
Darkness."  The  Atlantic  had  by  the  Greeks  been  regarded 
ms  a  fairy  scene,  where  the  Islands  of  the  Blessed  were  ^aced, 


DISCOYSRY   OF  THE   SOUTH   8EA. 


19 


in  which,  under  calm  skies,  sunounded  by  unruffled  seas  and 
amid  groves  of  the  sweetest  odour,  the  favoured  of  the  gods 
«njoved  everlasting  peace  and  happiness.  This  fable  found 
no  place  among  the  Arabs,  who  bestowed  on  that  ocean  the 
name  of  "  The  Sea  of  Darkness,"  and  filled  their  ims^na- 
tions  with  appalling  pictures  of  its  storms  and  dangers.  Xerif 
a1  Edrisi,  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  their  geographers,  who 
wrote  about  the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century,  observes — 
-"  No  one  has  been  able  to  verify  anything  concerning  it,  on 
account  of  its  difficult  and  perilous  navigation,  its  great  ob- 
scurity, its  profound  depth  and  frequent  tempests ;  through 
fear  of  its  mighty  fishes  and  its  haughty  winds ;  yet  there  are 
many  islands  m  it,  some  peopled,  others  uninhabited.  There 
is  no  mariner  who  dares  to  enter  into  its  deep  waters  ;  or,  if 
any  have  done  so,  they  have  merely  kept  along  its  coasts,  fear- 
ful of  departing  from  them.  The  waves  of  this  ocean,  al- 
though they  roll  as  high  as  mountains,  yet  maintain  themselves 
without  breaking  ;  for  if  they  broke,  it  would  be  impossible  for 
a  ship  to  plough  them.*' 

But  the  mystery  of  this  "  Sea  of  Pitchy  Darkness"  was  at 
length  removed.  Towards  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
the  celebrated  Venetian  traveller,  Marco  Polo,  succeeded  m 
penetrating  across  the  Asiatic  continent,  and  reached  the  far- 
thest shores  of  China.  He  brought  back  to  Europe  tales  of 
oriental  pomp  and  magnificence  far  beyond  any  previous  con- 
ception. His  work  exercised  the  greatest  influence  on  tho 
minds  of  that  age,  which,  prone  to  belief  in  marvellous  stories, 
found  unbounded  gratification  in  the  glowing  descriptions  of 
the  wealth  of  those  eastern  countries ;  the  extent  and  ar- 
chitectural wonders  of  their  cities  ;  the  numbers  and  glittering 
array  of  their  armies ;  and,  above  all,  the  inconceivable  splen- 
dour of  the  court  of  the  great  Kublai  Khan,  his  vast  palaces, 
his  guards,  his  gay  summer  residences,  with  their  magnificent 
gardens  watered  by  beautiful  streams,  and  adorned  with  the 
fairest  fruits  and  flowers.  Among  these  visions  of  immeas- 
urable riches,  a  prominent  place  was  occupied  by  the  sea 
which  was  found  to  be  the  eastern  boundary  of  China.  He 
drew  a  picture  of  it,  widely  differing  from  the  gloom  and 
tempests  with  which  the  Arabs  had  invested  its  waters.  He 
spoke  of  its  extent,  so  great,  "  that,  according  to  the  report  of 
experienced  pilots  and  mariners  who  frequent  it,  and  to  whom 
the  truth  must  be  known,  it  contains  no  fewer  than  seven 


i 


so 


DISCOVERY   OF   THE    SOUTH    SEA. 


u    f 


thousand  four  hundred  and  forty  islands,  mostly  inhabited.'* 
As  to  their  products,  he  told  that  no  trees  grew  there  that  did 
not  yield  a  fragrant  perfume.  He  dwelt  on  the  abundance  of 
their  spices  and  dru^s,  and  summed  up  the  whole  by  declaring, 
that  "  it  was  impossible  to  estimate  the  value  of  the  gold  and 
other  articles  found  in  these  islands  !"  But  all  others  were 
outshone  by  the  more  lavish  splendours  of  Zipangu,  the  mod- 
em Japan.  There,  were  to  be  found  abundance  of  precious 
Stones,  and  large  quantities  of  pearls,  some  white,  and  others 
of  a  beautiful  pink  colour.  The  ii^abitants  were  of  a  fair 
complexion,  well  made,  and  of  civilized  manners.  "They 
have  gold,"  it  is  said,  '*  in  the  greatest  plenty,  its  sources  be- 
ing inexhaustible  ;  but  as  the  lung  does  not  allow  of  its  being 
exported,  few  merchants  visit  the  country,  nor  is  it  frequented 
by  much  shipping  from  other  parts.  To  this  circumstance  we 
are  to  attribute  the  extraordinary  richness  of  the  sovereign's 
palace,  according  to  what  we  are  told  by  those  who  have  ac-> 
cess  to  the  place.  The  entire  roof  is  covered  with  a  plating 
of  gold,  in  the  same  manner  as  we  cover  houses,  or  more 
properly  churches,  with  lead.  The  ceilings  of  the  halls  are 
of  the  same  precious  metal ;  many  of  the  apartments  have 
small  tables  of  pure  gold,  considerably  thick ;  and  the  win- 
dows also  have  golden  ornaments.  So  vast,  indeed,"  ex- 
claims the  Venetian,  "  are  the  riches  of  the  palace,  that  it  is 
impossible  to  convey  an  idea  of  them  !"^  Marco  Polo  was 
careful  to  explain,  that  the  sea  in  which  Zipangu  and  its  neigh- 
bouring islands  were  placed  was  not  a  gulf  or  branch  of  the 
ocean,  like  the  English  or  the  iEgean  Seas,  but  a  large  and 
boundless  expanse  of  waters. 

Thus  early  was  the  Asiatic  margin  of  the  South  Sea  made 
known ;  but  more  than  two  centuries  elapsed  before  its  oppo- 
site boundary  was  reached,  or  a  European  ship  was  launched 
upon  its  waves. 

The  Atlantic  shores  of  Africa  were  the  first  scenes  of  that 
career  of  modem  discovery  which  characterized  the  spirit  of 
the  fifteenth  century.     The  main  object  was  the  circumnavi- 

fation  of  that  continent,  in  order  to  open  a  direct  path  to 
ndia,  the  grand  source  of  commerce  and  wealth ;  and,  under 
the  auspices  of  Prince  Henry  of  Portugal,  this  end  was  pur- 

*  The  Travels  of  Marco  Polo,  a  Venetian,  In  the  Thirteenth  Century, 
translated  froni  the  Italian,  with  Notes  by  William  Marsden,  F.R,S, 
{.»ndon,  1818.    4to,  p.  fi69,  et  seq. 


DISCOVERY   OP   THE   SOUTH   SEA. 


21 


tued  with  a  steadiness  and  perseverance  which  produced  the 
most  important  results.  Then  was  inspired  a  confidence, 
hitherto  unfelt,  in  the  art  of  navij^tion ;  its  capabilities  were 
much  advanced,  and  the  range  of  its  enterprise  extended  far 
beyond  all  previous  limits.  A  passion  for  maritime  adventure 
was  also  spread  throughout  Europe,  and  men's  minds  were 
excited  to  daring  undertakings  and  bold  speculations.  Atten- 
tion was  turned  to  the  unknown  waters  of  the  Atlantic,  and 
imagination  wantoned  in  figuring  the  wealth,  the  wonders,  and 
the  mysteries  of  the  lands  that  were  hidden  in  its  bosom. 
The  fables  of  antiquity  were  revived ;  the  Atalantis  of  Plato 
came  again  to  be  believed ;  and  to  its  classic  fictions  were 
added  the  marvels  of  many  a  Gothic  and  monkish  legend,  and 
the  visions  of  splendour  seen  in  the  glory  of  the  setting  sun. 
Yet  all  these  glittering  fancies  failed  to  tempt  any  mariner  to  sail 
boldly  forth  into  the  ocean,  and  explore  the  secrets  of  its  depths. 

At  length  arose  Christopher  Columbus — a  man  of  whora  it 
has  been  happily  remarked,  that  the  narrative  of  his  life  is  the 
link  which  connects  the  history  of  the  Old  World  with  that  of 
the  New.  From  the  study  of  ancient  and  modem  geographers 
he  became  convinced  of  the  existence  of  lands  which  might  be 
reached  by  sailing  westward.  He  argued  that  the  eartn  was 
a  sphere,  and,  following  Ptolemy,  he  assigned  to  it  a  circum- 
ference of  twenty-four  hours.  He  estimated  that  fifteen  of 
these  were  known  to  the  ancients,  and  that  what  remained  to 
be  explored  was  occupied  by  the  eastern  countries  of  Asia  aild 
the  sea  seen  by  Marco  Polo,  which  he  believed  to  be  identical 
with  the  Atlantic.  He  was  therefore  firmly  assured  that,  by 
proceeding  westward  across  this  ocean,  he  would  arrive  at  the 
shores  of  the  Asiatic  continent  and  its  neighbouring  island  of 
Zipangu,  of  which  the  glowing  description  left  by  the  Venetian 
traveller  seems  to  have  constantly  haunted  his  thoughts. 

After  many  years  of  doubt  and  disappointment  spent  in  soli- 
citing various  princes  to  engage  in  the  enterprise,  he  at  length 
set  sail  from  Spain  on  the  3d  of  August,  1492,  and  on  the  12th 
of  October  following  landed  on  San  Salvador,  one  of  the  Ba- 
hama Islands.  After  cruising  for  some  time  among  this  cluster, 
believed  by  him  to  be  part  of  the  great  Archipelago  mentioned 
by  Marco  Polo,  he  discovered  the  Island  of  Cuba,  which  he 
concluded  to  be  a  portion  of  the  continent  of  Asia.  He  next 
visited  the  beautiful  Island  of  Hayti  or  St.  Domingo,  and,  hav- 
ing loaded  his  vessels  with  specunens  of  the  inmkbitants  and 


.'  n 


DISCOVERY   OP  THS   ROVTR  «IA. 


,;■« 


productions  of  this  new  country,  returned  to  Europe.  In  his 
third  voyage  Columbus  discovered  the  continent  of  America, 
and  looked  upon  it  as  the  Aurea  Cheidonesus  of  the  ancients, 
the  peninsula  of  Malacca  in  modem  maps.  As  he  sailed  along 
its  shores,  he  received  tidings  of  a  great  water  situated  to  the 
south,  and,  conceiving  that  it  must  be  connected  with  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  determined  to  search  for  the  strait  or  channel 
of  conununication.  liis  last  voyage  was  dedicated  to  this 
fruitless  attempt ;  and  he  died  in  the  jfinn  conviction  that  this 
southern  sea  was  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  that  the  lands  he  had 
visited  belonged  to  the  eastern  boundary  of  Asia.  How  very 
far  did  he  under-estimate  the  grandeur  of  his  achievements ! 
He  thought  that  he  had  found  but  a  new  path  to  countries 
known  m  old,  whUe  he  had  in  truth  discovered  a  continent 
hitherto  unimagined,  yet  rivalling  the  ancient  world  in  extent. 
Who  ^ill  not  share  in  the  regret  which  has  been  so  eloquently 
expressed,  that  the  gloom,  the  penury,  and  disappointment 
which  overcast  his  latter  years,  were  visited  by  none  of  those 
bright  and  consoUng  hopes  which  would  have  flowed  from  the 
revelation  of  the  future  glory  of  "  the  splendid  empires  which 
were  to  spread  over  the  beautiful  world  he  had  discovered ; 
and  the  nations,  and  tongues,  and  languages  which  were  to 
fill  its  lands  with  his  renown,  and  to  revere  and  bless  his  name 
to  the  latest  posterity  1"* 

To  secure  the  possession  of  the  vast  countries  discovered 
by  Columbus,  the  King  of  Spain  applied  for  the  sanction  of 
the  pope.  Martin  V.  and  other  pontiffs  had  granted  to  Por- 
tugal all  the  countries  which  it  might  discover  from  Cape  Bo- 
jador  and  Cape  Nun  to  the  Indies ;  and  the  Portuguese  mon- 
arch now  complained  that  his  neighbour,  in  visiting  America, 
had  violated  tne  rights  conferred  on  him  by  the  holy  father. 
While  this  complaint  was  undergoing  investigation,  the  court 
of  Castile  exerted  its  influence  with  Pope  Alexander  VI. ; 
and  on  the  4th  of  May,  1493,  a  bull  was  issued,  which  most 
materially  influenced  the  future  course  of  maritime  discovery. 
By  this  important  document,  the  head  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
"  with  the  plenitude  of  apostolic  power,  by  the  authority  of 

*  History  of  tbe  Life  and  Vo'  ^ges  of  Christopher  Columbus,  by  Wash' 
inf  ton  Irving,  vol.  iv.,  p.  61— an  admirable  boolc,  in  which  industry  of 
resMurch,  elegance  and  loftiness  of  thought  and  diction,  have  combined  to 
jrear  a  work,  which,  surpassing  all  others  on  tbe  subject,  wiU  itsdf  pn)b* 
ibiy  never  be  surpassed. 


DISCOVERY   Of  THE   SOUTH   «BA. 


2d 


God  Omnipotent  granted  to  him  through  bleued  Pet«r,  and 
of  the  vicarship  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  he  exercises  upon 
earth,"  assigned  to  the  Spanish  sovereigns  "  all  the  islands 
and  main-lands,  with  all  their  dominions,  cities,  castles,  places, 
and  towns,  and  with  all  their  rights,  jurisdictions,  and  apper- 
tenances,  discovered,  and  which  shall  be  discovered,"  to  Uie 
west  of  an  ideal  line  drawn  from  pole  to  pole,  at  the  distance 
of  a  hundred  leagues  westward  of  the  Azores.  Thus  did 
Spain  at  once  acquire  "  an  empire  far  more  extensive  than 
that  which  seven  centuries  of  warfare  obtained  for  the  Ro- 
mans !"*  This  munificent  grant  was  accompanied  with  one 
important  injunction :  Alexander  adjured  the  sovereigns  "  by 
the  holy  obedience  which  you  owe  us,  that  you  appoint  to  the 
said  main-lands  and  islands  upright  men  and  fearing  God, 
learned,  skilful,  and  expert  in  instructing  the  foresaid  natives 
and  inhabitants  in  the  Catholic  faith,  and  in  teaching  them 
good  morals,  employing  for  that  purpose  all  requisite  dili- 
gence." The  tenors  of  Divine  wrath  were  thundered  against 
Uiose  who  should  infringe  the  papal  grant.  **  Let  no  person 
presume  with  rash  boldness  to  contravene  this  our  donation, 
decree,  inhibition,  and  will.  For  if  any  person  presumes  to 
do  so,  be  it  known  to  him  that  he  will  incur  the  indignation 
of  Almighty  God,  and  of  the  blessed  apostles  Peter  and 
I*aul."t  Even  by  orthodox  princes,  however,  these  threat- 
enings  were  held  light.  As  has  been  remarked  by  Purchas, 
"the  Portugalls  regarded  them  not;  and  not  the  bull,  but 

*  Memoir  of  C!o]unibUR,  by  D.  O.  B.  Spotorno,  Professor  of  Eloquence 
in  the  University  of  Genoa,  published  in  "  Memorials  of  C!olumbus,  or  a 
Ckillection  of  authentic  Documents  of  that  celebrated  Navigator,  now 
first  published  flrom  the  original  Manuscrijtts,  by  order  of  the  Decarions 
of  Genoa.  Translated  flrom  the  Spanish  and  Italian."  London,  1823' 
6vo. 

t  The  original  bull  may  be  consulted  in  Parcbas,  vol.  i.«  p.  13-19.  A 
translation  flrom  a  copy  exhibiting  some  variations,  but  of  no  great  con' 
sequence,  is  msertea  in  the  "  Memorials  of  Ctrtumbus"  sbove  quoted* 
document  txxvii.,  p.  172-183.  This  last  has  been  followed  in  the  quota' 
lions  ffiven  in  the  present  work.  The  copy  in  Purcbas  is  accompanied 
by  a  chapter  of  '<  Animadversions  on  the  said  Bull  of  Pope  Alexander,** 
Which  cannot  Ail  to  gratify  the  curious  in  abuse  and  invective,  in  which 
It  will  scarcely  yield  the  palm  to  any  of  the  "fly tings"  of  our  eariier 
fioottish  poets,  or  to  the  controversial  writings  of  Scaliger,  Milton,  or  Sal' 
masius.  In  one  sentence  Alexander  is  called  **  Heire  of  all  the  Vices  of 
ail  the  Popes,"—"  the  Plague-sore  into  that  Chayre  of  Psstylenee,"— 
**  the  Monster  of  Men,  or  indeed  rather  an  incarnate  devill,"— so  neces* 
Mury  did  Purchss  consider  ir  •'  not  to  sullbr  this  bull  to  passe  unbaired  !'r 


84 


DISCOVERY  OF   THE    SOUTH    SEA. 


Ir'l 


I 


other  compromise  stayed  them  from  open  hostilitie."  By  an 
agreement  between  the  two  nations  of  the  Peninsula,  conclu« 
ded  in  1494,  it  was  covenanted,  that  the  line  of  partition  de- 
scribed in  the  ecclesiastical  document  should  be  extended  270 
leagues  farther  to  the  west,  and  that  all  beyond  this  boundary 
should  belong  to  Castile,  and  all  to  the  eastward  to  Portugal.* 
Thus  their  territories  were  defined  with  sufficient  certainty  on 
one  side  of  the  globe  ;  but  the  limits  on  the  other  were  left 
perfectly  vague,  and  became  a  fertile  subject  of  dispute. 

Meantime,  the  Portuguese  had  achieved  the  grand  object 
which  they  had  so  long  laboured  to  attain.  In  1^6,  Barthol- 
omew Diaz  reached  the  southern  extremity  of  Africa,  which 
he  named  the  Cape  of  Storms ;  but  the  Portuguese  monarch 
gave  it  the  more  auspicious  title  of  Good  Hope.  Eleven 
years  after,  Vasco  de  Gama  doubled  this  dreaded  promontory, 
and  conducted  a  fleet  to  the  rich  shores  of  India — an  event 
which  v|as  destined  to  exercise  on  i^Iie  career  of  American 
discovery  more  than  an  indirect  influence,  powerful  as  that 
was.  The  vast  treasures  which  Portugal  drew  from  countries 
where  the  harvest  of  the  adventurer  was  prepared  before  he 
visited  the  field,  mightily  inflamed  the  avidity  of  Spain,  and 
breathed  a  new  spirit  of  ardour  into  her  enterprises.  Nor 
did  the  former  kingdom  fail  to  contribute  her  exertions  to- 
wards extending  the  knowledge  of  the  new  continent.  In 
the  year  1500,  the  second  expedition  which  was  fitted  out  for 
India,  under  the  command  of  Pedro  Alvarez  de  Cabral, 
standing  westward  to  clear  the  shores  of  Africa,  discovered 
the  coast  of  Brazil,  end  took  possession  of  it  in  name  of  the 
Portuguese  crown.  It  has  been  well  observed  by  an  eminent 
writer  on  this  subject,  '*  that  Columbus's  discovery  of  the 

*  This  agreement  (sometimes  called  the  treaty  or  Tordesillas)  was 
concluded  on  7th  June,  biit  was  not  subscribed  by  Ferdinand  till  ad  July, 
1493,  and  by  John  not  till  27th  February,  1494.  It  was  confirmed  by  a 
bull  in  1506.  The  late  Admiral  Bumey,  whose  work  we  will  have  oc- 
casion  so  often  to  mention  with  respect,  writes  of  this  agreement—"  At 
the  instance  of  the  Portuguese,  with  the  consent  of  the  pope,  in  1494,  the 
line  of  partition  was  hy  agreement  removed  270  leagues  more  to  the 
west,  tliat  it  might  accord  with  their  possessions  in  the  Brazils."'- 
Chronological  History  of  the  Discoveries  in  the  South  Sea,  vol.  i.,  p.  4. 
It  is  impossible  to  admit  the  existence  of  the  motive  here  assigned ;  fbr 
Brazil  was  not  discovered  by  Cabral  until  six  years  after  the  date  of  the 
agreement.— Purchas,  vol.  i.,  p.  30;  Robertson's  Hist,  of  America,  book 
li. ;  Irvine's  Columbus,  iii.,  147,  and  aathorities  there  quoted.  It  i» 
proper  to  mention  that  Bumey  is  by  no  means  singular  in  this  mistake. 


II 


DISCOVERY   Of  Tnt   SOUTH   SEA* 


$6 


New  World  was  the  effort  of  an  active  genius,  enlightened 
by  science,  guided  by  experience,  and  acting  upon  a  regulat 
plan,  executed  with  no  less  courage  than  perseverance.  But 
from  this  adventure  of  the  Portuguese,  it  appears  that  chance 
might  have  accomplished  that  great  design  which  it  is  now 
the  pride  of  human  reason  to  have  formed  and  perfected.  If 
the  sagacity  of  Columbus  had  not  conducted  mankind  to 
America,  Cabral,  by  a  fortunate  accident,  might  have  led 
them  a  few  years  later  to  the  knowledge  of  that  extensive 
continent."* 

We  have  seen  that  even  Portugal  yielded  but  a  scanty 
deference  to  the  right  which  the  pope  had  usurped  of  bestow-^ 
ing  the  world  at  his  will ;  and  England  was  still  less  inclined 
to  acquiesce  in  such  an  assumption  of  power^  So  early  as 
1497,  an  armament  sailed  from  that  country,  conducted,  under 
letters-patent  from  Henry  VII.,  by  John  Cabot^  a  native  of 
Venice  settled  at  Bristol,  and  by  his  three  sons,  Louis,  Se^ 
bastian,  and  Sanchez. t  The  object  appears  to  have  been  to 
iind  a  western  passage  northward  of  the  new  Spanish  discov" 
eries,  and  by  this  route  to  reach  India.  In  prosecution  of 
this  great  scheme,  Cabot,  on  the  24th  of  June,  1497,  ap 
proached  the  American  continent,  probably  at  Newfoundland } 
and  his  son  Sebastian,  in  two  successive  voyages,  performed 
in  1498  and  1517,  explored  a  large  extent  of  the  coast,  from 
Hudson's  Bay  on  the  north  as  far  as  Florida  on  the  south. 
Although  unsuccessful  in  the  attainment  of  their  immediate 
purpose,  these  expeditions  have  justly  entitled  the  English  to 
the  high  distinction  of  being  the  first  discoverers  of  the  main- 
land of  America— Columbus  not  having  seen  any  part  of  it 
till  tho  1st  of  August,  1498.  In  1500,  three  years  after  the 
first  voyage  of  Cabot,  Caspar  Cortereal,  a  Portuguese  gen^ 


*  Robertson's  Itistory  of  America,  book  ii;  Caru  must  be  taken  not 
to  overvalue  the  merits  01' Cabi-al.  It  should  be  recollected  that  his  dis< 
covery  was  the  result  of  Chance;  and  further,  that  Krazil  had  fteen  vis- 
ited some  months  previously  by  Diego  Lepe,  and  still  earlier  by  Vicente 
Yanes  Pinzon,  who  was  the  first  to  cross  the  equator  in  the  Atlantic. 

t  A  late  acute  writer  has  started  a  question  as  to  the  coniparativa 
agency  of  John  and  SebastiaiiC&bot.  (Memoir  of  Sebastian  Cabot, 
London,  1631 ;  p  43,  et  seq.)  This  point  has  been  amply  considered  Id 
a  previous  volume  of  the  Bdinburgh  Cabinet  Library,  to  which  refto- 
eiica  is  made  for  a  minute  relation  of  the  discoveries  of  the  Cabots. 
—Historical  View  of  Ihe  Progress  of  Discovery  on  the  more  Northern 
Coasts  of  America,  chap,  i.,  and  Appttidix.    Family  Library,  No.  Llll. 


36 


DISCOVERY   OF  THE   SOUTH  SEA. 


1' 


f  , 


if     J 


it 


tleman,  under  the  sanction  of  King  Emanuel,  pursued  the 
track  of  the  Cabots  with  the  same  views.  Sailing  along  the 
east  coast  of  Newfoundland,  he  reached  the  northern  extrem* 
ity  of  that  island,  and  entered  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
which,  with  no  small  show  of  probability,  he  concluded  to  be 
the  opening  into  the  west  that  he  was  seeking.  He  proceed- 
ed also  along  the  coast  of  Labrador,  and  appears  to  have  ad- 
vanced nearly  as  far  as  to  Hudson's  Bay. 

While  England  and  Portugal  were  thus  examining  the 
coasts  of  the  New  World,  Spam,  which  had  first  opened  the 
path,  pursued  it  with  unabated  zeal  and  activity.  The  pe- 
culiar circumstances  of  that  country  afforded  much  encour- 
agement to  the  spirit  of  adventure.  The  long  war  she  had 
wa^ed  with  the  Moors,  and  the  high  and  romantic  feelings 
which  animated  that  contest,  fostered  a  strong  desire  of  ex- 
citement, and  an  ardent  love  of  enterprise,  which  found  in  the 
regioAs  discovered  by  Columbus  an  ample  and  inexhaustible 
field.  *'  Chivalry  left  the  land  and  launched  upon  the  deep ; 
the  Spanish  cavalier  embarked  in  the  caravel  of  the  discov- 
erer." Year  after  year  her  ports  poured  forth  fresh  expedi- 
tions, while  national  enthusiasm  was  almost  daily  excited  by 
rumours  of  new  countries  far  richer  and  more  fertile  than  any 
previously  known.  The  details  of  these  navigations,  how- 
ever, more  properly  belong  to  another  work ;  and  it  will  be 
sufficient  in  this  place  briefly  to  allude  to  their  chief  results. 
In  1600,  Rodrigo  de  Bastides  explored  the  northern  coast 
of  Tierra  Firma,  from  the  Gulf  of  Darien  to  Cape  de  Vela, 
from  about  the  73d  to  the  79th  degree  of  west  longitude. 
In  the  same  year,  Vicente  Yanez  Pinzon  doubled  Cape  San 
Augustine,  discovered  the  Maragnon  or  River  of  Amazons, 
and  sailed  northward  along  thf.  coast  to  the  Island  of  Trinidad. 
The  same  active  voyager  engaged  in  several  other  expedi- 
tions ;  and  in  one  of  these,  ^m  which  he  was  accompanied 
by  Diaz  de  Solis,  made  known  to  Europeans  the  province 
of  Yucatan.  Almost  contemporaneously  with  the  mrst  voy- 
age of  Pinzon,  his  townsman,  Diego  Lepe,  pursuing  nearly 
the  same  path,  added  largely  to  the  knowledge  of  the  coasts 
of  Brazil.  In  1512,  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  set  sail  in  quest 
of  the  fabled  island  of  Bimini,  where  flowed  the  miraculous 
Fountain  of  Youth,  whose  waters  were  of  such  wonderful 
power  that  whosoever  bathed  in  them  was  restored  to 
the  ^igourof  early  manhood.     Though  this  fairy  region  was 


|i 


!A. 


DISCOVERY    OF   THE    SOUTH    SEA. 


27 


pursued  the 
ng  along  the 
hem  extrem- 
It.  Lawrencey 
eluded  to  be 
He  proceed- 
to  have  ad- 

^amining  the 
It  opened  the 
y.     The  pe- 
luch  encour- 
war  she  had 
intic  feelings 
lesire  of  ex- 
found  in  the 
inexhaustible 
an  the  deep ; 
f  the  discov- 
fresh  expedi- 
y  excited  by 
ile  than  any 
itions,  how- 
id  it  will  be 
ihief  results, 
rthem  coast 
pe  de  Vela, 
longitude. 
Cape  San 
Amazons, 
)f  Trinidad, 
ler  expedi- 
ccompanied 
le  province 
e  iurst  voy- 
ling  nearly 
' the  coasts 
lil  in  quest 
miraculous 
wonderful 
'estored  to 
region  was 


in  vain  sought  for,  the  important  discovery  of  the  blooming 
coast  of  Florida  was  achieved. 

In  the  succeeding  year,  1513,  the  Spaniards  at  length 
reached  that  ocean  of  which  they  had  heard  many  vague  ru- 
mours from  the  natives  of  Tierra  Firraa.  The  honour  of 
this  discovery  is  due  to  Vasco  Nunez  de  Balboa,  a  man  sprung 
from  a  decayed  family,  who,  first  appearing  in  the  New  World 
as  a  mere  soldier  of  fortune,  of  dissolute  habits  and  of  desper- 
ate hopes,  had  by  courage  and  intrigue  raised  himself  to  the 
fovemment  of  a  small  colony  established  at  Santa  Maria  in 
>arien.  In  one  of  his  forays  against  the  native  inhabitants, 
when  in  this  command,  he  procured  a  large  quantity  of  gold. 
While  he  was  dividing  the  treasure  among  his  followers, 
much  disputing  took  place  in  the  presence  of  a  young  cacique, 
who,  disdaining  brawls  for  what  seemed  to  him  so  mean  an 
object,  struck  the  scales  with  his  hand  and  scattered  the 
gold  on  the  ground,  exclaiming,  "  Why  should  you  quarrel 
mr  such  a  trifle  1  If  this  gold  is  indeed  so  precious  in  your 
eyes,  that  for  it  you  forsake  your  homes,  invade  the  peace- 
ful land  of  strangers,  and  expose  yourselves  to  such  suffer- 
ings and  perils,  I  will  tell  you  of  a  province  where  you  may 
gratify  your  wishes  to  the  utmost.  Behold  those  lofty  moun- 
tains !"  he  said,  pointing  to  the  south ;  **  beyond  these  lies  a 
mighty  sea,  which  may  be  discerned  from  their  summit.  It  is 
navigated  by  people  who  have  vessels  not  much  less  than 
yours,  and  furnished  like  them  with  sails  and  oars.  All  the 
streams  which  flow  down  the  southern  side  of  those  moun- 
tains into  that  sea  abound  in  gold ;  and  the  kings  who  reign 
upon  its  borders  eat  and  drink  out  of  golden  vessels.  Gold  is 
as  plentiful  and  common  among  these  people  of  the  south  as 
iron  is  among  your  Spaniards."  From  the  moment  in  which 
he  heard  this  intelligence,  the  mind  of  Vasco  Nunez  became 
occupied  with  this  one  object,  and  he  steadfastly  devoted  all 
his  thoughts  and  actions  to  the  discovery  of  the  southern  sea 
indicated  by  this  chief.  Many  difficulties,  however,  retarded 
the  undertaking,  and  it  was  not  till  the  1st  of  September,  1513, 
that  he  set  forth,  accompanied  by  no  more  than  a  hundred 
and  ninety  soldiers.  After  incredible  toil  in  marching  through 
hostile  tribes,  he  at  length  approached  the  base  of  the  last 
ridge  he  had  to  climb,  and  rested  there  foic  the  night.  On 
the  26th  of  September,  with  the  first  gUmmering  of  light,  he 
commenced  the  ascent,  and  bv  ten  o'clock  had  reached  the 


:t 


\\ 


28 


DISCOVERY   OF  THE    SOUTH   SEA. 


brow  of  the  mountain,  from  the  summit  of  which  he  was  as* 
sured  he  v/ould  see  the  promised  ocean.     Here  Vasco  Nunez 
made  his  followers  halt,  and  mounted  alone  to  the  bare  hill- 
top.    What  must  have  been  his  emotions  when  he  reached 
the  summit !     Below  him  extended  forests,  green  fields,  and 
winding  rivers,  and  beyond  he  beheld  the  South  Sea,  illumi- 
nated  by  the  morning  sun.     At  this  glorious  sight  he  fell  on 
his  knees,  and  extending  his  arms  towards  the  ocean,  and 
weeping  for  joy,  returned  thanks  to  Heaven  for  being  the  first 
European  who  had  been  permitted   to  behold  these  long- 
sought  waters.     He  then  made  signs  to  his  companions  to 
ascend,  and  when  they  obtained  a  view  of  the  magnificent 
scene,  a  priest  who  was  among  them  began  to  chant  the  an- 
them "  Te  deum  laudamus,"  all  the  rest  kneeling  and  join* 
ing  in  the  solemn  strain.     This  burst  of  pious  enthusiasm  is 
strangely  contrastetl  with  the  feelings  of  avarice  to  which, 
even  in  the  moment  of  exultation,  their  leader  surrendered 
his  mind,  when  he  congratulated  them  on  the  prospect  "  of 
becoming,  by  the  favour  of  Christ,  the  richest  Spaniards  that 
ever  came  to  the  Indies,"    After  this  he  caused  a  tall  tree  to 
be  felled,  and  formed  into  a  cross,  which  was  erected  on  th^ 
spot  whence  he  first  beheld  the  western  deep.     He  then  be* 
gan  to  descend  from  the  mountains  lo  the  shores  of  the  new- 
found ocean ;  and  on  the  29th  of  September  reached  a  vast 
bay,  named  by  him  San  Miguel,  from  the  festival  on  which 
it  was  discovered.     UnfurUng  a  banner,  whereon  was  painted 
»  figure  of  the  Virgin  with  the  arms  of  Castile  at  her  feet,  he 
marched  with  his  drawn  sword  in  his  hand  and  his  buckler  on  his 
shoulder  knee-deep  into  the  rushing  tide,  and,  in  a  \o\xd  voice, 
took  possession  of  the  seas  and  all  the  shores  it  washed.    He 
concluded  the  ceremony  by  cutting  with  his  dagger  a  cross  on 
a  tree  that  grew  in  the  water ;  and  his  followers,  dispersing 
themselves  in  the  forest,  expressed  their  devotion  by  carving 
similar  marks  with  their  weapons.     VascQ  Nunez  then  be? 
took  himself  to  pillage.     He  exacted  from  the  natives  con? 
tributions  in  gold  and  provisions ;  and  being  told  of  a  coun? 
try  to  the  south  where  the  people  possessed  abundance  of 
gold,  and  used  beasts  of  burden,  the  rude  figure  of  the  lam^ 
traced  on  the  beach  suggested  to  him  the  camel,  and  con- 
firmed him  in  the  opinion  that  he  had  reached  *'  the  gates  of 
|;he  East  Indies."     From  the  circumstance  of  the  ocean  hav- 
ing been  first  descried  from  the  Isthmus  of  Darien,  which 


M 


DISCOVERY    OF   THE   SOUTH    SEA. 


29 


zh  he  was  as* 

/asco  Nunez 

the  bare  hill- 

i  he  reached 

m  fields,  and 

1  Sea,  iUumi* 

ht  he  fell  on 

i  ocean,  and 

)eing  the  first 

these  long- 

mpanions  to 

magnificent 

:hant  the  an- 

ng  and  join- 

nthusiasm  is 

ce  to  which, 

surrendered 

•rospect  "  of 

paniards  that 

a  tall  tree  to 

ected  on  tho 

He  then  be* 

of  the  new- 

iched  a  vast 

on  which 

was  painted 

her  feet,  he 

ickler  on  his 

loud  voice, 

ashed.    He 

»r  a  cross  on 

dispersing 

by  carving 

z  then  be? 

tatives  con? 

of  a  coun? 

indance  of 

>f  the  lam^ 

and  con- 

le  gates  of 

ocean  hay- 

ien,  which 


runs  nearly  east  and  west,  it  received  the  name  of  the  South 
Sea — a  title  which,  however  accurately  applied  to  the  part  first 
seen,  is  employed  with  little  propriety  to  designate  the  whole 
vast  expanse  of  the  Pacific.  Tidings  of  this  great  discov- 
ery were  immediately  transmitted  to  Spain,  and  received  with 
delight  and  triumph.  But  instead  of  rewarding  so  impor- 
tant a  service,  the  court  despatched  a  governor  to  supersede' 
Balboa,  who,  by  the  perfidy  of  his  successor,  was  publicly 
executed  in  1517.* 

Meantime  the  colony  on  the  Darien  continued  to  ex- 
tend their  knowledge  of  the  western  ocean,  to  make  ex- 
cursions in  barks,  and  to  form  small  settlements  in  the  vi- 
cinity. Larger  vessels  were  soon  constructed ;  and  violently 
taking  possession  of  some  small  islands  in  the  Gulf  of  San 
Miguel,  which  they  named  the  Pearl  Islands,  the  Spaniards 
extorted  from  their  conquered  subjects  a  large  annutu  tribute 
drawn  from  the. treasures  of  the  deep. 

As  the  hope  decayed  of  finding  a  passage  to  India  through 
a  strait  in  the  American  continent,  the  design  was  formed  of 
esiablishing  a  regular  intercourse  by  the  Isthmus  of  Darien ; 
and  a  settlement  was  accordingly  fixed  at  Panama,  whence 
vessels  were  to  visit  the  eastern  shores  of  Asia.  This 
scheme,  however,  failed  of  success.  Within  a  month  after 
the  ships  destined  for  the  voyage  had  been  launched,  their 
planks  were  so  destroyed  by  worms  as  to  render  them  quite 
useless.  No  better  success  had  followed  an  attempt  which 
was  made  in  1515  to  find  an  opening  into  the  Austral  Ocean, 
in  more  southern  latitudes.  The  commander  of  the  expedi- 
tion, Juan  Diaz  de  Solis,  in  exploring  the  country  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  fell  into  an  ambuscade  and 
lost  his  life.  Upon  this  disaster  the  undertaking  was  aban- 
doned, and  the  vessels  returned  to  Spain. 

Such  was  the  knowledge  obtained  of  the  South  Sea  prior 
to  the  year  1519.  Its  waters  had  indeed  been  discovered, 
and  the  highest  hopes  formed  of  its  treasures  as  well  as  of  the 
rich  lands  washed  by  its  billows.  But  all  attempts  to  explore 
its  vast  expanse  had  failed ;  and  the  seamen  who  boldly  crossed 
the  broad  Atlantic  were  content  to  creep  cautiously  along 

*  The  extraordinary  career  of  Vasco  Nunez  de  Balboa  has  of  late  been 
invested  with  a  new  interest  by  the  elegant  memoir  of  Don  Manuel  Joaef 
Quintana— an  Engliati  translation  of  which,  by  Mrs.  Hodson,  appeared 
At  Edinburgh  in  183*2. 

C2 


30        CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   MAGELLAN. 


if 


the  gulfs  and  creeks  of  this  newly-reached  ocean.  No  strait 
had  yet  been  found  to  connect  its  waves  with  those  of  seas 
already  known  and  navigated ;  it  seemed  to  be  hemmed  in 
by  inaccessible  barriers ;  and  the  great  continent  of  America, 
which  had  been  regarded  as  a  main  object  of  discovery,  was 
now  in  some  degree  considered  as  an  obstacle  in  the  path  to 
further  enterprise. 


CHAPTER  II. 
Circumnavigation  of  Magellan. 

Magellvin's  Birth  and  Servicies.— Proposals  to  the  Spanish  Court  accepted. 
— ^''ils  00  bi«  Voyaj{e.— AnchofH  at  Port  San  Julian  —TrMnsactions 
thcitj.-  Uescripliou  oCtbe  Natives.— Discovers  the  Strait.— Enters  the 
South  Sea.— The  Unfortunate  Islands.— The  J^adrones  — Ttie  Island 
or  Managua  or  Limasaya.— Zebu.— Intercourse  with  lite  Natives.— 
Death  of  Magellan.— ilis  Character.- fleet  proceeds  to  Borneo.- Ar- 
rives at  Tidore.— The  Ship  Vitoria  reaches  Spain.— Fate  or  the  Trint 
idad.— BesjUits  of  the  Expedition, 

The  glory  of  discovering  a  path  to  the  South  Sea,  and  of 
overpoming  the  difficulties  which  had  hitherto  impeded  the 
navigation  of  its  waters,  is  due  to  Fernando  de  Magalhanes, 
Magalhaens,  or,  as  it  has  been  more  commonly  written  in  this 
country,  Magellan.*  He  was  by  birth  a  Portuguese,  and 
sprung  from  a  noble  family.  He  had  served  in  India  with 
much  nonour  under  the  standard  of  the  famous  Albuquerque, 
and  had  there  made  considerable  acquirements  in  practical 
seamanship.  To  these  were  added  no  mean  scientific  attain- 
ments, and  much  inform,i^tionj  derived  from  a  correspondence 

*  In  Hawkesworth's  account  of  the  flrst  VAyags  of  Captain  Cook 
(Hawkes.  Coll.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  41,  London,  )773)  appears  the  following  note : 
— "  The  celebrated  navigator  who  discovered  this  stneight  was  a  native 
of  Portugal,  and  his  name,  in  the  language  of  his  country,  was  Fer- 
natido  de  Magalhaens;  the  Spaniards  call  bim  Hernfuif^  ji,agalkanes, 
and  the  French  Magellan,  which  is  the  orthography  that  has  been  gen- 
erally adopted :  a  gentleman,  tine  filth  in  descent  frvm  this  great  adven- 
turer, is  now  living  in  or  near  London,  and  communicated  the  true  name 
of  bis  ancestor  to  Mr.  [Sir  Joseph]  Banks,  with  a  reauesl  that  it  might 
b«  inserted  in  this  work." 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   MAGELLAN. 


31 


iivith  some  of  the  first  geographers  and  most  successful  navi- 
gators of  those  days.  The  grounds  on  which  he  projected 
his  great  undertaking  have  not  been  accurately  recorded.  It 
has  been  supposed  he  was  struck  with  the  circumstance  that 
the  South  American  continent  trends  still  more  to  the  w^est* 
ward  in  proportion  as  the  higher  latitudes  are  attained ;  that 
he  concluded  from  this,  that  in  shape  it  was  probably  similar 
to  Africa ;  and  that  its  southern  extremity  must  be  washed 
by  an  open  sea,  through  which  there  would  necessarily  be  an 
entrance  into  the  ocean  beyond.  There  have  not  been  want- 
ing persons,  however,  to  ascribe  the  honour  of  this  discovery 
to  Martin  Behem^— a  distinguished  geographer  of  that  age,  to 
whom  also  has  been  given  the  merit  of  having  anticipated 
Columbus  in  finding  the  New  World.  But  the  pretensions 
set  forth  in  behalf  of  this  individual  have  been  traced  to  an 
error  in  attributing  to  him  the  construction  of  a  globe  made 
many  years  after  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1506.*  This 
date  is  fatal  to'  his  claim,  as  at  that  time  the  South  Sea  itself 
was  not  discovered.  It  must  be  remembered,  likewise,  that 
for  many  years  afterward,  the  best  mariners  of  Spain  searched 
unsuccessfully  for  the  strait  in  question,  which  they  could 
hardly  have  missed,  if,  as  is  alleged,  it  had  been  laid  down  in 
the  charts  of  Behem. 

Magellan  first  made  an  offer  of  his  service  to  his  own  sove- 
reign, who,  says  Fray  Gaspar,t  *'  did  not  choose  to  hear  it,  nor  to 
give  it  any  confidence,  but  dismissed  him  with  a  frown  and  sin- 
gular disgrace,  very  different  from  what  was  due  to  the  proposal 

*  Irving*8  Columbus.  Appendix,  No.  xii.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  205-212.  See 
alBO  Burney's  Discovery  in  the  South  Sea.  i.,  45-48. 

t  Conquest  or  the  Philippine  Islandn.  The  principal  authorities  for  the 
voyage  of  Magellan  are  Herrera,  Barros,  and  Pigafetia.  This  la^t  au- 
thor, a  native  or  Vicenza  in  Italy,  accompanied  the  expedition.  From  an 
Imperfect  copy  or  his  narrative,  an  account  was  compiled  by  Purchas, 
vol.  i.,  book  i.,  chap.  ii.  The  first  perrecl  edition  was  published  Trom  a 
manuscript  in  the  Ambrosian  library,  by  C.  Amoretti : — *'  Primo  Viaggio 
intorno  al  globo  terracqueo.  Milano,  IHOO."  This  has  since  been  trans- 
lated mto  the  French  and  Bnglish  languages.  In  the  *'  Historical  Col- 
lection or  th :•  several  Voyages  and  Discoveries  in  the  r^nulh  Pacific 
Ocean,  by  Alexunder  Dalryinple,"  London,  1769,  will  be  found  transla- 
tions of  Herre/a,  Barros,  and  Ga:)par,  arranged  in  a  manner  that  much 
facilitates  a  comparison  between  their  varying  statements.  It  is  to  be 
regretted  that  Dalrymple  ha<  only  ireateil  of  the  voyage  of  Magellan 
down  to  his  entry  into  the  Pac  flc.  Burney  has  diligently  examined 
all  >.He  authorities  with  his  usual  acumen  and  perseverance,  and  ha* 
wov»o  tbe  whole  intp  a  comprehensive  and  discriniipating  narrative, 


M        CIKCVHNAVIOATION   OF   MAGELLAN. 


^i 


tf 


of  Magalhanes,  and  the  reputation  he  had  acquired  for  his  val« 
our."  Thus  did  Portugal,  after  having  rejected  the  greatest 
honour  in  the  career  of  discovery — the  finding  of  America-— 
fpum  away  the  second — the  glory  of  the  first  circumnaviga- 
tion of  the  globe.  Magellan,  accompanied  by  Ruy  Falero,  a 
tiative  astrologer  who  was  associated  with  him  in  the  enter- 
prise, then  determined  to  go  to  the  Spanish  court  and  tender 
the  fame  and  profit  of  his  undertaking  to  the  Emperor  Charles 
V.  He  arrived  at  Valladolid,  where  his  majesty  then  was, 
about  1517,  and  his  proposals  were  Ustened  to  with  attention 
and  respect.  We  are  told  by  Henera  that  he  brought  with 
him  a  globe  fairly  painted,  on  which  he  had  described  the  lands 
and  seas,  and  the  track  he  meant  to  pursue,  but  carefully  left 
the  strait  blank,  that  they  might  not  anticipate  his  design. 
This  precaution  (if  the  tale  is  to  be  credited)  was  a  bitter  satire 
on  the  little  faith  to  be  reposed  in  the  honour  of  princes,  but  it 
was  nat  used  without  good  reason ;  for  Magellan  had  before 
him  the  example  of  John  II.  of  Portugal,  who,  having  gathered 
from  Columbus  the  theory  of  his  great  project,  with  singular 
meanness,  secretly  despatched  a  vessel  to  make  the  attempt, 
and  rob  the  discoverer  of  his  honours. 

The  emperor,  on  considering  the  proposals  of  Magellan, 
was  so  much  gratified  as  to  con^r  on  him  several  distinctions. 
Articles  of  agreement  were  drawn  out  to  the  following  effect : 
—The  navigator,  and  his  countryman,  Ruy  Falero,  agreed  to 
reach  the  Moluccas  by  sailing  to  the  west ;  it  was  stipulated 
that  they  were  to  enjoy  a  ten  years*  monopoly  of  the  track 
which  they  explored,  and  to  receive  a  twentieth  part  of  all  the 
revenue  and  profits,  which,  after  deducting  the  expenses, 
should  accrue  from  their  discoveries.  He  was  also  to  enjoy  the 
title  of  Adelantado  over  the  seas  and  lands  he  should  happen 
to  make  known.  Certain  privileges  of  merchandise  were 
conceded  to  him  and  his  associate,  including  a  fifth  part  of  all 
that  the  ships  should  bring  home  in  the  first  voyage :  the 
emperor  agreed  to  furnish  for  the  expedition  five  vessels,  two 
of  130  tons,  two  of  ninety,  and  one  of  sixty ;  and  this  fleet 
was  to  be  victualled  for  two  years,  and  provided  with  234 
men. 

These  articles  were  concluded  in  Saragossa,  and  Magellan 
then  repaired  to  Seville,  where,  in  the  church  of  Santa  Maria 
de  la  Vitoria  de  Triana,  the  royal  standard  of  Spain  was  for- 
mally delivered  to  him ;  and  he  took  a  solemn  oath  that  he 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  MAGELLAN. 


33 


would  perform  the  voyage  with  all  faithfulness  as  a  good  vas" 
sal  of  the  emperor.  His  squadron  was  composed  of  the  Trin- 
idad, the  San  Antonio,  the  Vitoria,  the  Concepcion,  and  the 
Santiago  ;  but  the  period  of  sailing  was  retarded  by  the  inter- 
ference of  the  Portuguese  king,  who  threw  every  obstacle  in 
the  way  of  the  enterprise  which  he  himself  had  not  cither  the 
spirit  or  the  generosity  to  encourage.  He  even  endeavoured 
to  entice  Magellan  from  the  Spanish  service  by  promises  of 
more  advantageous  terms.  Failing  in  this,  he  is  supposed  to 
have  countenanced  various  reports  which  were  circulated 
against  the  fame  of  the  adventurer ;  while  others  among  his 
countrymen  predicted,  that  *Uhe  King  of  Spain  would  lose 
the  expenses,  for  Fernando  Magalhanes  was  a  chattering  fel- 
low, and  little  reliance  to  be  placed  in  him,  and  that  he 
would  not  execute  what  he  promised,"* 

At  length  this  renowned  leader  sailed  from  San  Lucar  on 
the  20th,  or,  accuording  to  some  accounts,  on  the  21st  of  Sep- 
tember, 1619.  His  fu-st  destination  was  the  Canary  Islands, 
where  he  stopped  to  take  in  wood  and  water ;  and  on  the  13th 
December  following  he  came  to  anchor  in  a  port,  which  was 
named  Santa  Lucia,  in  23^  degrees  of  south  latitude,  and  on  the 
coast  of  Brazil.  This  has  sometimes  been  supposed  the  Rio 
de  Janeiro  of  the  Portuguese ;  but  modem  observation  does 
not  confirm  the  opinion.  The  natives  appeared  a  confiding, 
credulous,  good-hearted  race,  and  readily  gave  provisions  m 
exchange  for  trifling  wares ;  half  a  dozen  fowls  w^ere  obtained 
for  a  king  of  spades,  and  the  bargain  was  considered  to  be 
equally  good  by  both  parties.  Pigafetta  says,  "  They  were 
very  long  lived,  generally  reaching  105,  and  sometimes  140 
years  of  age." 

Weighing  anchor  on  the  27th,  the  squadrpn  sailed  south- 
ward, and,  on  thp  11th  January,  1520,  reached  Cape  Santa 
Maria  on  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  where  they  took  in  supplies. 
Near  this  place  Juan  Diaz  de  Solis  about  five  years  before  had 
been  murdered  by  the  natives,  on  which  account  they  kept  at 
a  distance  from  their  visiters.  Putting  again  to  sea,  and 
touching  at  different  places,  the  fleet,  on  Easter  Eve,  came  to 
anchor  in  a  port  which  was  named  San  Julian;  and  ther^ 
Magellan  remained  five  months.  Discontent,  and  at  last  open 
mutiny,  broke  out  in  his  ships,  the  ringleaders  being  qert^ 


*  ^errera,  dec.  ii.,  lib.  iv.,  chap,  x, 


84        CIRCUMNAVIOATION   OF   MAGELLAN. 


I  •    'I 


Spanish  officers,  who  felt  mortified  at  serving  under  a  Portu- 
guese commander.  The  first  step  taken  to  restore  order, 
However  much  it  might  accord  with  the  character  of  that  rude 
age,  cannot  be  reconciled  with  our  notions  of  honourable  con- 
duct :  a  person  was  despatched  with  a  letter  to  one  of  the 
captains,  with  orders  to  stab  him  while  he  was  engaged  in 
reading  it.  This  commission  being  unscrupulously  executed, 
and  foUowed  up  by  measures  equally  prompt  in  regard  to  the 
other  mutineers,  the  authority  of  the  captain-generu  was  soon 
fully  re-established. 

While  the  fleet  hy  in  this  harbour,  the  Santiago,  one  of  the 
ships,  made  an  exploratory  cruise ;  and  on  the  3d  of  May, 
the  anniversary  of  the  finding  of  the  Holy  Cross,  discovered 
the  river  named  Santa  Cruz.  Having  advanced  about  three 
leagues  farther  to  the  south,  the  vessel  was  wrecked,  though 
the  prew,  after  suffering  very  great  hardships,  ultimately  re- 
joined the  squadron.  The  long  period  which  they  passed  on 
that  coast  enabled  the  Spaniards  to  form  an  intimate  acquaint- 
ance with  the  natives.  They  had  at  first  concluded  tluit  the 
country  was  uninhabited ;  but  one  day  an  Indian,  well  made 
and  of  gigantic  size,  came  capering  and  singing  to  the  heaoh^ 
throwing  dust  upon  his  head  in  token  of  amity.  A  seaua/i 
was  forthwith  sent  on  shore,  and  directed  to  imitate  the  ges- 
tures of  this  merry  savage,  who  was  of  such  immense  stature, 
says  Pigafetta,  that  a  middle-sized  Castilian  only  reached  to 
his  waist.  He  was  large  in  proportion,  and  altogether  a  for- 
midable apparition ;  his  broad  face  being  stained  red,  save 
a  yellow  circle  about  his  eyes,  and  two  heart-shaped  spots 
on  his  cheeks.  His  hair  was  covered  with  a  white  pow- 
der. His  clothing,  formed  of  the  skin  of  the  guanaco,*  cov- 
ered his  body  from  head  to  foot,  being  wrapped  round  the 
arms  and  legs,  and  sewed  together  all  in  one  piece,  like  the 
dress  of  the  ancient  Irish.  Shoes  fabricated  of  the  hide  of  the 
same  animal,  which  made  the  feet  appear  round  and  large, 
procured  for  his  whole  tribe  the  name  of  Pata-gones,  or  clumsy^ 
hoofed.  The  arms  of  this  individual  were  a  stout  bow  and  ar- 
rows, the  former  strung  with  gut,  the  latter  tipped  with  flint- 
stones  sharpened.     He  ascended  the  ship  of  the  captain-gen- 

t  The  ecmehu  huanaetu  of  Linnseus,  a  species  of  lama.  Tbis  ani- 
mal, described  by  Pigafetta  as  having  the  body  of  a  camel,  the  legs  of  a 
stag,  the  tail  of  a  horse,  and  the  head  and  ears  of  a  mule,  excited  great 
amaxement  among  the  Spanish  seamen. 


CIRCUMNATIOATION   OF  MAGELLAN.       35 


eral,  where  he  appeared  quite  at  his  ease,  ate,  drank,  and  made 
merry,  till,  seeins  his  own  image  in  a  large  steel  minor,  he 
started  back  in  alarm,  and  threw  down  four  Spaniards.     The 
good  reception  of  this  giant  brought  more  to  the  beach,  who 
were  taken  on  board  and  feasted,  six  of  them  eating  as  much 
as  would  have  satisfied  twenty  seamen.     The  first  Indian  had 
pointed  to  the  sky,  as  if  to  inquire  whether  the  Europeans  had 
descended  thence ;    and  they  all  wondered  that  the  ships 
should  be  so  large  and  the  men  so  small.     They  were  in  gen- 
eral dressed  and  armed  alike.     They  had  short  hair,  and  car- 
ried their  arrows  stuck  in  a  fillet  bound  round  their  heads. 
They  ran  with  amazing  swiftness,  and  devoured  their  meat 
raw  as  soon  as  it  was  obtained.     These  savages  practised 
bleeding  by  rudely  cupping  the  part  affected,  and  produced 
vomiting  by  thrusting  an  arrow  pretty  far  down  the  throat  of 
the  patient.    Magellan  wished  to  carry  home  some  of  this  sin- 
gular race ;  and  European  craft  was  basely  opposed  to  Indian 
confidence  and  credulity.     Fixing  on  two  of  the  youngest  and 
most  handsome,  he  presented  to  them  knives,  glass  beads,  and 
mirrors,  till  their  hands  were  filled ;  then  rings  of  iron  were 
offered ;  and  as  they  were  eager  to  possess  them,  but  could 
not  take  hold  of  any  more  articles,  the  fetters  were  put  upon 
their  legs,  as  if  to  enable  them  the  more  conveniently  to  carry 
these  ornaments  away.     On  discovering  the  treachery,  they 
vainly  struggled  for  freedom,  and  shrieked  to  their  god  Sete- 
bos.*     Besides  these  prisoners,  the  captain-general  was  de- 
sirous of  securing  two  females,  that  the  breed  of  giants  might 
be  introduced  into  Europe;  but  though  the  women,  whose 
stature  was  not  so  remarkable,  were  far  from  beautiful,  their 
husbands  betrayed  considerable  symptoms  of  jealousy ;   and, 

*  **  They  say,*'  writes  Pigafetta,  "  that  when  any  of  them  die,  there 
appeare  ten  or  twelve  devills  leaping  and  dancing  about  the  bodie  or  the 
dead,  and  seeme  to  have  their  bodies  painted  with  divers  colours,  and 
that  among  others  there  is  one  seene  bigger  than  the  residue,  who  maketh 
great  mirth  and  rejoicing.  This  great  devill  they  call  Setebos,  and  call 
the  lesse  Cheleule."— Purchas,  vol.  i.,  p.  35.  It  has  been  supposed  that 
fVom  this  passage  Shakspeare  borrowed  the  demon  Setebos,  introduced 
in  the  Tempest,  act  i.,  scene  ii. ; 

*'  I  must  obey ;  his  art  is  of  such  power, 
It  would  control  my  dam's  god,  Setebos, 
And  make  a  vassal  of  him."  ' 

There  are  other  passages  in  the  play  of  which  the  bint  may  have  been 
taken  firom  the  narrative  of  Pigafetta. 


36 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   MAGELLAN^ 


as  they  were  more  seldom  seen,  an  opportunity  of  entrapping 
them  could  not  be  found.  It  was  therefore  resolved  to  seize 
other  two  men,  in  the  hope  of  effecting  an  exchange.  Force, 
however,  was  not  so  successful  as  stratagem,  and  it  was  with 
difficulty  that  nine  of  the  strongest  Spaniards  threw  them 
down.  One  of  the  savages  broke  loose  even  in  spite  of  every 
effort  to  detain  him ;  and  in  the  end  the  plan  failed,  for  the 
other  made  his  escape,  and  Magellan  lost  one  of  his  own  men, 
who  was  shot  with  a  poisoned  arrow  in  the  pursuit.  His  com- 
panions, who  fired  on  the  runaways,  "  were  unable,"  says  Pi- 
gafetta,  "  to  hit  any,  on  account  of  their  not  escaping  in  a 
straight  line,  but  leaping  from  one  side  to  another,  and  getting 
On  as  swiftly  as  horses  at  a  full  gallop." 

On  the  21st  August  the  fleet  left  Port  San  Julian,  after 
taking  possession  of  the  country  for  the  King  of  Spain  by  the 
customary  ceremonial  of  erecting  a  cross — the  symbol  of  sal- 
vation, so  often  degraded  into  an  ensign  of  rapacity  and  cruelty 
in  the  fairest  portions  of  the  New  World.  Two  months  were 
afterward  passed  at  Santa  Cruz,  where  the  squadron  was  well 
supplied  with  wood  and  water;  and,  on  the  18th  October, 
standing  southward,  they  discovered  Cape  de  las  Virgines,  and 
shortly  afterward  the  desired  strait.  After  careful  examination 
of  the  entrance,  a  council  was  held,  at  which  the  pilot,  Estevan 
Gomez,  voted  for  returning  to  Spain  to  refit ;  while  the  more 
resolute  spirits  recommended  that  they  should  proceed  and 
complete  their  discovery.*  Magellan  heard  all  in  silence,  and 
then  firmly  declared,  that  were  he,  instead  of  the  slighter 
hardships  already  suffered,  reduced  to  eat  the  hides  on  the 
ship's  yards,  his  determination  was  to  make  good  his  promise 
to  the  emperor.  On  pain  of  death,  every  one  was  forbidden 
to  speak  of  the  shortness  of  provisions  or  of  home — which, 
though  a  somewhat  unsatisfactory  mode  of  stifling  the  pangs 
of  hunger  or  the  longings  ot  affection,  equally  well  answered 
the  purpose  of  the  captam-general.     Pigafetta  makes  no  men- 

*  Gomez  was  by  birth  a  Portuguese ;  and  it  has  been  alieeed,  that  the 
insidious  advice  which  he  gave  on  this  occasion,  and  his  mutiny  and  de- 
sertion at  a  later  pe-  iod,  were  dictated  by  a  desire  to  promoie  the  interests 
of  Portugal.— See  Memoir  or  Sebastian  Cabot,  p.  136.  Ai.oihet'  motive 
for  the  trearhery  or  Gomez  has  been  assign*  d  by  PIgaretia,  viz.,  tliat  he 
bad  previously  engaged  himseirin  the  Spanish  service,  and  had  been  ap- 
pointed to,  or  promised  the  command  of,  a  small  squadron,  to  sail  on  a 
projected  enterprise,  which  was  laid  aside  on  the  arrival  of  Magellan  ii 
Spain. 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF  MAGELLAN.         37 


of  entrapping 
olved  to  sei^e 
mgo.  Force, 
id  it  was  with 
I  threw  them 
spite  of  every 
failed,  for  the 
his  own  men, 
lit.  His  coni- 
ble,"  says  Pi- 
escaping  in  a 
ir,  and  getting 

1  Julian,  after 

f  Spain  by  the 

symbol  of  sal- 

ity  and  cruelty 

)  months  were 

idron  was  well 

18th  October, 

I  Virgines,  and 

il  examination 

pilot,  Estevan 

vhile  the  more 

proceed  and 

in  silence,  and 

the  slighter 

hides  on  the 

d  his  promise 

ivas  forbidden 

lome — which, 

ing  the  pangs 

veil  answered 

lakes  no  men- 

ilieeed,  that  the 
mutiny  and  de- 
oie  the  interests 
^i.oihet'  motive 
tta.  viz.,  that  he 
nd  had  been  ap- 
on,  to  sail  on  « 
of  Magellan  ii 


lion  of  the  council ;  but  says  the  wh'  )Ie  crew  were  persuaded 
that  the  strait  had  no  western  outltM,  and  would  not  have  ex- 
plored it  but  for  the  firmness  of  Magellan. 

Two  vessels  were  sent  to  examine  the  opening,  and  a  hur- 
ricane coming  on  drove  them  violently  thirty-six  hours,  durinff 
which  they  were  in  momentary  alarm  lest  they  should  be  forced 
ashore.  The  coasts  more  than  once  seemed  to  approach  each 
other,  on  which  the  voyagers  gave  themselves  up  for  lost ;  but 
new  channels  successively  opened,  into  which  they  gladly  en- 
tered. In  this  manner  they  were  led  on  till  they  had  pene- 
trated the  First  and  Second  Gut,  when  the  gale  having  abated, 
they  thought  it  most  prudent  to  retrace  their  course,  and  report 
what  they  had  observed  to  the  commander.  Two  days  had 
already  passed,  and  the  captain-general  was  not  without  fear 
that  his  consorts  must  have  been  cast  away  in  the  tempest ; 
while  smoke  being  observed  on  shore,  it  was  concluded  to  be 
a  signal  made  by  those  who  had  had  the  good  fortune  to  es- 
cape. Just  at  this  instant,  however,  the  ships  were  seen  re- 
turning under  full  sail,  with  flags  flying ;  as  they  came  nearer, 
the  crows  fired  their  bombards  and  uttered  shouts  of  joy. 
These  salutations  were  repeated  by  their  anxious  companions ; 
and,  on  learning  the  result  of  the  search,  the  whole  squadron 
advanced,  having  named  the  land  where  the  smoke  was  seen 
Tierra  del  Fuego.  On  reaching  the  expanse  into  which  the 
Second  Gut  opens,  an  inlet  to  the  southeast  was  observed, 
and  two  vessels  were  despatched  to  explore  it,  while  the 
others  steered  to  the  southwest.  Estevan  Gomez  was  pilot 
in  one  of  the  ships  sent  on  the  former  service  ;  and,  knowing 
that  Magellan  no  longer  lay  between  him  and  the  open  sea,  he 
incited  the  crew  to  mutiny,  threw  the  captain  into  chains,  and 
under  the  darkness  of  night  put  about  the  helm  and  shaped 
his  course  homeward.  This  recreant  had  on  board  with  him 
one  of  the  giants,  whom  he  calculated  upon  being  the  first  to 
present  at  the  court  of  Spain ;  but  the  poor  prisoner  pined 
under  the  heat  of  the  tropical  regions,  and  died  on  approaching 
the  line.  In  the  mean  time,  the  commander  of  the  expedition 
pursued  the  channel  to  the  southwest,  and  anchored  at  the 
mouth  of  a  river,  where  he  resolved  to  wait  the  arrival  of  the 
other  vessels ;  he  ordered  a  boat,  however,  to  proceed  and 
reconnoitre,  and  on  the  third  day  the  sailors  returned  with  the 
intelligence  that  they  had  seen  the  end  of  the  strait,  and  the 
ocean  beyond  it.    "  We  wept  for  joy,"  says  Pigafetta,  "  and 

D 


38 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF  MAGELLAN. 


tho  cape  was  denominated  II  Capo  Deseado,  for  in  truth  we 
had  long  wished  to  see  it."  Public  thanksgiving  was  also 
made  ;  and  after  spending  several  days  in  a  vain  search  for 
the  deserter,  and  erecting  several  standards  in  conspicuous 
situations,  the  three  remaining  ships  stood  towards  the  western 
mouth  of  the  strait,  which  they  reached  thirty-seven  days 
after  discovering  Cape  de  las  Virgines.  Magellan  entitled 
this  long-sought  passage  the  Strait  of  the  Patagonians — a 
name  which  has  been  justly  superseded  by  that  of  the  discov- 
erer. He  found  it  to  be  so  deep,  that  anchorage  could  only 
be  obtained  by  approaching  near  to  the  shore  ;  and  estimated 
the  length  of  it  at  1 10  leases.  Pigafetta  relates,  that  during 
the  voyage  he  "  talked  with  the  Patagonian  giant"  on  board 
of  the  captain-general's  ship,  and  obtained  some  words  of  his 
native  language,  so  as  to  form  a  small  vocabulary,  which,  as 
far  as  subsequent  inquiries  afford  the  means  of  judging,  is  sub- 
Btantklly  correct. 

It  was  the  28th  of  November  when  the  small  squadron 
gained  the  open  sea,  and  held  a  northerly  course,  in  order  to 
reach  a  milder  climate  (the  crews  having  already  suffered  se- 
verely from  extreme  cold),  as  well  as  to  escape  the  storms 
usually  encountered  about  the  western  opening  of  the  strait.. 

On  the  24th  January,  1621,  they  discovered  an  island,  which 

was  named  San  Pablo  in  memory  of  the  Patagonian,  who  had 

died,  after  being  baptized,  it  is  alleged,  at  his  own  request ; 

and  on  the  4th  February  another  small  island  was  seen,  ithd 

called  Tiburones,  or  Sharks'  Island,     The  crews  had  now 

suffered  so  much  from  the  want  of  provisions  and  fresh  water, 

and  from  the  ravages  of  the  scurvy,*  that,  depressed  by  their 

r!ondition  and  prospects,  they  named  these  discoveries  Las 

Desventuradas,  or  the  Unfortunate  Islands.    Their  sufferings, 

for  three  months  and  twenty  days  after  entering  the  Pacific, 

t. 
*  As  Pigafetta  describes  the  effects  of  this  disease  without  naming  it, 
it  is  obvious  that  to  its  severity  was  then  added  the  terror  of  a  new  and 
strange  visitation.  "  Oar  greatest  misfbrtune,"  he  says,  *'  was  being  at- 
tacked by  a  malady  in  which  the  gums  swelled  so  as  to  hide  the  teeth  as 
well  in  the  upper  as  the  lower  jaw,  whence  those  affected  thus  were  in- 
capable of  chewing  their  food.  Besides  those  who  died,  we  had  llrom 
twenty-five  to  thirty  sailors  ill,  who  suffered  dreadlbl  pains  in  their  arms, 
legs,  and  other  parts  «'  the  body."  Some  years  later,  when  the  crews  of 
Cartier  were  seized  by  the  same  disorder,  it  appeared  to  them  also  equally 
novel  and  loathsome.— See  Historical  View  of  the  Progress  of  Discovery 
oa  th*  more  Ntrthtm  Coasts  of  America,  [No.  LIII.  of  the  Family  Li- 
brwy.] 


CAN. 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF  MAGELLAN. 


39 


r  in  truth  we 
iiig  was  also 
lin  search  for 
conspicuous 
Is  the  western 
y-seven  days 
ellan  entitled 
itagonians — a 
>f  the  discov- 
we  could  only 
and  estimated 
}s,  that  during 


mt"  on 


board 
!  words  of  his 
ary,  which,  as 
idging,  is  sub- 
nail  squadron 
e,  in  order  to 
ly  suffered  se- 
)e  the  storms 
|of  the  strait., 
island,  which 
nian,  who  had 
own  request ; 
tvas  seen,  Aid 
ws  had  now 
d  fresh  water, 
ssed  by  their 
icoveries  Las 
}ir  sufferings, 
the  Pacific, 

bout  naming  it. 

of  a  new  and 
"  was  being  at- 
ide  the  teeth  u 
1  thus  were  in< 

we  had  lYom 
8  in  their  amns, 
en  the  crews  of 
enn  also  equally 
of  Discovery 

the  Family  Li* 


were  painful  in  the  extreme.  Nineteen  died  of  scurvy ;  and 
the  situation  of  the  remainder,  reduced  to  chew  the  leather 
found  about  the  ship,  and  to  drink  putrid  water,  was  in  the 
highest  degree  deplorable.  Even  sawdust  was  eaten,  and 
mice  were  in  such  request  as  to  sell  for  half  a  duoat  a  piece. 
Their  only  solace  was  a  continuance  of  delightful  weather, 
and  of  fair  winds  which  carried  them  smoothly  onward.  To 
this  circumstance  the  So"th,  Sea  owes  its  name  of  Pacific — a 
title  which  many  succeeding  seamen  have  thought  it  ill  de- 
serves. On  the  6th  of  March  were  discovered  three  beautiful 
and  apparently  fertile  islands,  inhabited,  and  therefore  likely 
to  afford  succour  to  the  fleet.  The  Indians  immediately  came 
off  in  their  canoes,  bringing  cocoanuts,  yams,  and  rice. 
Their  complexion  was  olive  brown,  and  their  form  handsome ; 
they  stained  the  teeth  black  and  red,  and  some  of  them  wore 
long  beards,  with  the  hair  of  their  heads  hanging  down  to  the 
girdle.  On  these  poor  islanders,  whose  pilfering  propensities 
obtained  for  this  group  the  appellation  of  the  Ladrones  (or 
Thieves)  the  captain-general  took  signal  vengeance  for  a 
small  offence.  A  skiff  was  stolen  from  the  stern  of  the  cap- 
itana,  or  admiral's  ship,  upon  which  Magellan  landed  with 
ninety  men,  plundered  their  provisions,  and  burnt  fifty  or 
sixty  of  their  houses,*  which  were  built  of  wood,  having  a 
roof  of  boards  covered  with  leaves  about  four  feet  in  length, 

*  P.  le  Gobien,  In  his  History  of  the  Ladrone  or  Marian  Islands,  ha* 
asserted,  that  at  the  time  wlien  Magellan  arrived,  the  natives  were  alto- 
gether ignorant  of  fire,  and  that,  when  for  the  first  time  they  saw  it  con- 
suming their  houses,  they  regarded  it  an  an  animal  which  attached  itself 
to  the  wood,  and  fed  upon  it.  This  tale  has  been  adopted  by  the  Abbd 
Raynal,  in  his  History  of  the  East  and  West  Indies,  and  has  served  him  as 
a  topic  for  ample  declamation ;  and  the  Abb^  Provost,  in  his  "  Histoireg^n- 
6rale  des  Voyages,"  has  also  given  it  credit,  quoting  as  his  authority  the 
narrative  of  Pigafbtta.  As,  however,  was  very  early  remarked  by  the 
President  de  Broases,  in  his  "  Histoire  des  Navigations  aux  Terres  Aua- 
trales,"  Pigafeita,  credulous  and  fabulous  as  he  is,  has  made  no  mention 
of  this  circumstance.  This  alone  might  be  held  sufllcient  to  disprove 
the  unsupported  assertion  of  Le  Gobien.  But,  as  Malte  Brun  has  ob- 
served (English  Translat.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  618),  *'  these  ialanda  an  filled  with 
volcanoes,^— ti.  circumstance  of  which  Raynal  was  not  aware,  as  he  ac- 
counts for  this  8uppi>sed  ignorance  of  fire,  by  assumhig  the  Act  that 
here  there  are  "  none  of  those  terrible  volcanoes,  the  destructive  traces  of 
which  are  indelibly  mariced  on  the  fkce  of  the  globe."  Nor  is  this  all ; 
a  later  French  navigator  remarlcs,  "  Les  insulaires  cbes  qui  on  assure 
que  ie  feu  ^toit  inconnu,  avoient  dans  leurs  langues  les  mols/eu.  bnder, 
ckarbon,  braisc,four,  griller,  bouillir,  &c.,  et/abriquoient,avant  I'arrivie 
de*  Ewropiena  dant  leurs  iles,  des  poteries  ividetnment  soumises  d  Too* 


). 


1 
I 


i  I 


40 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   MAGELLAN. 


probably  those  of  the  bananier  (musa  pisang).  He  also  killed 
some  of  the  natives,  to  whom  the  arrow  was  an  unknown 
weapon,  and  who,  when  pierced  by  the  shafts  of  the  Spaniards, 
excited  pity  by  vain  attempts  to  extract  them.  They  had 
lances  tipped  with  fish-bone ;  and  when  the  invaders  retreated, 
they  followed  with  about  100  canoes,  variously  painted,  black, 
white,  or  red,  and  showed  fish,  as  if  disposed  to  renew  their 
traffic ;  but  on  getting  near  they  pelted  the  people  in  the  ships 
with  stones,  and  then  took  to  flight.  The  boats  of  these 
savages  resembled  gondolas,  and  were  furnished  with  a  sail 
of  pidm-leaves,  which  was  hoisted  at  the  one  side,  while,  to 
balance  it,  a  beam  or  outrigger  was  fastened  to  the  other. 
Vessels  of  the  same  construction  were  afterward  observed  in 
the  South  Sea  by  Anson  and  Cook,  who  very  much  admired 
the  ingenuity  of  the  contrivance.  From  the  16th  to  the  18th 
of  M^ch  other  islands  were  discovered,  forming  the  group 
then  called  the  Archipelago  of  St.  Lazarus,  but  now  known 
as  part  of  the  Philippines.  The  inhabitants  were  found  to  be 
a  friendly  and  comparatively-civiUzed  people.  They  wore 
ornaments  of  gold ;  and,  though  otherwise  nearly  naked,  dis- 
played cotton  head-dresses  embroidered  with  silk.  They 
were  tattooed,  and  had  their  bodies  perfumed  with  aromatic 
oils.  They  cultivated  the  land,  and  formed  stores  of  spices ; 
they  used  harpoons  and  nets  in  fishing ;  and  had  cutlasses, 
clubs,  lances,  and  bucklers,  some  of  them  ornamented  with 
gold.  On  the  25th,  the  fleet  left  Humunu,  the  principal 
member  of  the  group,  and  afterward  touched  at  some  others 
in  the  same  archipelago. 

At  a  small  island  named  Mazagua,  and  supposed  to  be  the 
Limasava  of  modern  charts,  a  slave  on  board,  by  name  Enrique, 
and  a  native  of  Sumatra,  was  able  to  make  himself  understood 
by  the  savages.  He  accordingly  acted  as  the  interpreter  of 
Magellan  in  explaining  the  reasons  of  this  visit  on  the  part  of 
the  Spaniards,  and  in  unfolding  the  terms  of  commerce  and 
friendly  intercourse  which  they  wished  to  establish  with  them. 
Mutual  presents  were  made,  and  ceremonial  visits  exchanged  ; 
the  captain-general  doing  everything  likely  to  impress  the  In- 
dian lung  with  the  power  and  superiority  of  Europeans  and 

tion  du/ctt.*— Voyage  autonrda  Monde,  execute  but  let  Corvettes  de  8. 
M.  I'Uranie  et  la  Physicienne  pendant  lea  ann^es  1817-18-19  et  90.  Par 
M.  Louis  de  Freyeinet.— Historique,  tome  ii.,  p.  166.    See  also  p.  328| 


CIRCtMNATIGATION   OF  MAGELLAN. 


41 


the  dignity  of  the  emperor  his  master.  For  this  purpose  ha 
caused  a  sailor  to  be  clothed  in  complete  armour,  and  directed 
three  others  to  cut  at  him  with  swords  and  endeavour  to  stab 
him.  On  seeing  the  mailed  man  remain  unharmed  amid  this 
shower  of  steel,  the  island  prince  was  greatly  surprised,  and 
remarked,  that  a  warrior  so  protected  would  be  able  to  con- 
tend with  a  hundred.  "  Yes,"  replied  the  interpreter,  in  the 
name  of  the  captain,  "  and  each  of  the  three  vessels  has  200 
men  armed  in  the  same  manner."  With  this  chief  Magellan 
formed  a  close  friendship ;  and  two  Spaniards  being  invited  on 
shore  to  inspect  the  curiosities  of  the  country,  the  chronicler 
of  the  voyage  was  sent  as  one  of  them.  They  partook  of  an 
entertainment  with  the  Rajah  Colambu,  as  he  was  called,  and 
were  served  in  vessels  of  porcelain.  The  king's  manner  of 
eating  was  to  take  alternately  a  mouthful  of  pork  and  a  spoon- 
ful of  wine,  lifting  his  hands  to  heaven  before  he  helped  him- 
self, and  suddenly  extending  his  left  fist  towards  his  visitor  in 
such  a  manner  that,  on  his  hrst  performing  the  ceremony,  Pig- 
afetta  expected  to  receive  a  blow  on  the  face.  Seeing  all  the 
rest  of  the  company  go  through  the  same  gesticulations,  the 

E elite  Vicentine  conformed  to  the  customs  of  the  place,  and 
aving  finished  his  repast,  was  otherwise  very  graciously 
treated,  being  introduced  to  the  heir-appareii> ,  and  left  at 
night  to  repose  on  a  comfortable  matting  of  reeds,  with  pil- 
lows of  leaves  to  support  his  head.  Among  the  luxuries  of 
Mazagua  were  candles  made  of  gums,  rolled  up  in  the  foliage 
of  the  palm-tree.  The  sovereign  was  a  remarkably  handsome 
man,  of  olive  complexion,  with  long  black  hair  ;  his  body  el- 
egantly tattooed,  and  perfumed  with  storax  and  gum-benjamin. 
He  was  adorned  with  gold  ear-rings,  ''  and  on  each  of  his 
teeth,"  says  the  narrator,  "  were  three  golden  dots,  so  placed 
one  would  have  thought  his  teeth  had  been  fastened  with 
this  metal."*  About  his  middle  he  wore  a  tunic  of  cotton 
cloth  embroidered  with  silk,  which  descended  to  the  knees ; 
around  his  head  was  wrapped  a  silken  turban  or  veil ;  while 
a  dagger  at  his  side,  having  a  handle  of  gold  and  a  scabbard 
of  exquisitely-carved  wood,  completed  uio  costume  ^f  this 

*  Peron  mentions  small  spots  of  silver  on  the  fore-teeth  of  some  of  the 
people  of  Timor,  fixed  to  the  enamel  by  a  kind  or  mastic,  so  firmly  that 
he  could  not  picl(  them  off  with  bis  nails ;  and  the  men  who  wore  them 
ate  before  him  without  seeming  to  feel  any  inconvenience  flrom  their 
wliimsical  finery. 

D2 


48 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   MAGELLAN. 


barbaric  rulor.  It  was  observed  that  his  subjects  enlivened 
themselves  by  constantly  chewing  botol  and  areca,  mixed  with 
a  jportion  of  lime.  Thoy  acknowledged  one  Supreme  Ueinff, 
whom  they  called  Abba,  and  wor8hipt>ed,  by  lifting  their  hands 
towards  heaven.  At  tins  time  was  Magellan  first  seized  with 
the  violent  desire  of  making  proselytes,  in  which  he  easily 
succeeded.  On  Easter  Day  a  party  landed  to  say  mass,  and 
all  their  ceremonies  were  exactly  imitated  by  the  natives. 
Some  of  the  Snaniards  ailorward  received  the  communion  ; 
which  bein^  ended,  "  the  captain,"  says  Pigafetta,  "*  exhibited 
a  dance  with  swords,  with  which  the  king  and  his  brother 
seemed  much  delighted."  A  large  cross  garnished  with  nails 
and  a  crown  of  thorns  was  then  erected  on  the  top  of  a  hill, 
and  the  Indians  were  told  that,  if  duly  adored,  it  would  defend 
them  from  thunder,  tempests,  and  all  calamities.  The  men 
then  formed  into  battalions,  and,  having  astonished  the  sav- 
ages oy  a  discharge  of  musketry,  returned  to  the  ships.  8uch 
were  the  first  missionary  labours  among  these  islands  !  Gold 
was  seen  in  some  abundance  ;  but  iron  was  obviously  much 
more  valued,  as  one  of  the  natives  preferred  a  knife  to  a  doub- 
loon in  exchange  for  some  provisions.  The  commodities 
brought  to  the  ships  were  hogs,  goats,  fowls,  rice,  millet, 
maize,  cocoanuts,  oranges,  citrons,  ginger,  and  bananas.  At 
the  request  of  the  rajui,  part  of  the  Spanish  crew  went  on 
shore  to  help  him  in  gathering  in  his  crop  of  rice ;  but  the 
poor  prince,  who  had  assisted  on  the  previous  day  at  mass  and 
afterward  at  a  banquet,  had  yielded  so  far  to  intemperance  that 
all  business  was  deferred  till  the  morrow,  when  the  seamen 
discharged  this  neighbourly  office,  and  shortly  afterward  saw 
harvest-nome  in  Mazagua. 

On  the  5th  of  April  the  fleet  sailed,  the  king  attending  it  in 
his  pirogue.  Being  unable  to  keep  up  with  the  squadron,  he 
and  his  retinue  were  taken  on  board ;  and  on  the  7th  of  the 
same  month  they  entered  the  harbour  of  Zebu,  an  island  ren- 
dered memorable  by  the  first  settlement  of  the  Spaniards  in  the 
Philippines.  The  accounts  which  the  captain-general  had  re- 
ceived of  the  riches  and  power  of  the  soverei|;n,  made  it  a 
point  of  good  policy  to  impress  him  and  his  subjects  with  the 
greatness  of  tneir  visiters.  The  ships  therefore  entered  the 
port,  with  their  colours  flying ;  and  a  grand  salute  from  all  the 
cannon  caused  great  consternation  among  the  islanders,  about 
8000  of  whom,  armed  with  spears  and  shields,  stood  at  the 


iH-  ^^  - 


OmCUMNAVIOATION   OP  MAOSLLAN. 


48 


wptorside,  gazing  with  astonishment  at  a  sight  so  now  to 
thinn.     An  ambassador,  attondud  by  tho  interpreter  £nriquo, 
was  sent  on  shore,  charged  with  a  message  importing  the  high 
connidoration  which  "  the  greatest  monarch  on  earth,"  and  lus 
captain-goncral,  Magellan,  entertained  for  the  King  of  Zebu. 
He  also  announced  that  the  fleet  had  come  to  take  in  provis- 
ions, and  give  merchandise  in  exchange.     The  prince,  who 
acted  through  his  ministers,  made  the  strangers  welcome, 
tho\igh  ho  insisted  on  the  payment  of  certain  dues.     These, 
howevor,  were  dispensed  with,  in  consequence  of  the  repre- 
sentations of  a  Moorinh  merchant  then  in  the  island,  who  had 
heard  of  the  Portuguese  conquests  in  the  East ;  and  in  a  few 
days,  every  requisite  ceremony  being  observed,  a  treaty  offen- 
sive and  defensive  was  formed.     In  manners  and  in  social 
condition  this  people  did  not  appear  to  differ  from  the  natives 
of  Mazagua.     Their  religion,  it  is  true,  whatever  it  was,  sat  but 
lightly  upon  them  ;  for  in  a  few  days  Magellan  converted  and 
baptized  half  their  number.     The  rite  was  administered  on 
shore,  where  a  rude  chapel  was  erected.     Mass  was  performed, 
and  every  ceremony  was  observed  which  could  deepen  the  im- 
pression of  sanctity  ;  among  which  the  firing  of  guns  from  the 
ships  was  not  forgotten,     liie  royal  family,  the  Rajah  of  Maza- 
gua, and  many  persons  of  rank,  were  the  first  converts ;  the  king 
receiving  the  name  of  Carlos,  in  honour  of  the  emperor.  Among 
these  sudden  Christians  were  also  the  queen  and  ladies  of  the 
court.   Baptism  was  also  administered  to  the  eldest  princess, 
daughter  of  his  majesty  and  wife  of  his  nephew  the  heir-appa- 
rent, a  young  and  beautiful  woman.    She  usually  wore  a  robe  of 
black  and  white  cloth,  and  on  her  head  a  tiara  of  date-leaves. 
"  Her  mouth  and  nails,"  adds  Pigafetta,  "  were  of  a  very  live- 
ly red."     One  day  the  queen  came  in  state  to  hear  mass. 
She  was  dressed  in  a  garment  like  that  of  her  daughter,  with  a 
silk  veil  striped  with  gold  flung  over  her  head  and  shoulders ; 
and  three  young  girls  walked  before  her,  each  carrying  one  of 
the  royal   hats.      The  attendants  were  numerous,  wearing 
small  veils  and  girdles,  or  short  petticoats  of  palm-cloth.     Her 
majesty  bowed  to  the  altar,  and  having  seated  herself  on  a 
cushion  of  embroidered  silk,  was,  with  the  rest,  sprinkled  by 
the  captain-general  with  rose-water,  "  a  scent,"  says  the  wn- 
ter  already  quoted,  '^  in  which  the  women  of  this  country  much 
delight." 
A  cure  performed  on  the  king's  brother,  who,  after  being 


i 


44 


eiRCUMNATIOATION   OF  MAGELLAN. 


.; 


baptized,  recovered  of  a  dangerous  illness,  completed  Maeel- 
lan's  triumph.  Pigafetta  ^avely  relates,  "we  were  all  of  us 
ocular  witnesses  of  this  nuracle."  By  way  of  help,  however, 
to  the  supernatural  agency,  a  restorative  cordial  was  immedi- 
ii  ately  administered,  and  repeated  during  five  days,  until  the 
sick  man  was  able  to  go  abroad.  The  fashionable  religion  of 
the  court  spread  rapidly.  The  cross  was  set  up,  idols  were 
broken,  amid  zealous  shouts  of  "  Viva  la  Castilla !"  in  honour 
of  the  Spanish  monarch,  and  in  less  than  fourteen  days  from 
the  arrival  of  the  squadron  the  whole  inhabitants  of  Zebu 
and  the  neighbouring  islands  were  baptized,  save  those  of 
one  infidel  village,  which  the  captain-general  burnt  in  punish- 
ment of  their  obstinacy,  and  then  erected  a  cross  amid  the 
ashes  and  ruins. 

Among  other  customs,  the  Zebuians  drank  their  wine  by 
suckin|[  it  through  a  reed.  At  an  entertainment  given  by  the 
prince,  the  heir-apparent,  four  singing  girls  were  introduced. 
One  beat  a  drum,  another  the  kettle-tkum,  the  third  two  smal- 
/er  instruments  of  the  same  description,  and  the  fourth  struck 
cymbals  against  each  other ;  and  as  they  kept  excellent  time, 
the  effect  was  pleasing.  The  kettle-drums  were  of  metal,  and 
in  form  and  tone  somewhat  like  European  bells.  Other  young 
women  played  on  gongs ;  and  the  islanders  had  a  musical  in- 
strument resembling  the  bagpipe,  as  well  as  a  sort  of  violin 
with  copper  strings.  Their  nouses  were  raised  on  posts,  and 
divided  into  chambers,  the  open  space  below  serving  as  a  shed 
for  domestic  animals  and  poultry.  Provisions  were  plentiful, 
and  the  Indians  everywhere  showed  hospitality  to  their  visit- 
ers, constantly  inviting  them  to  eat  and  drink.  They  ap- 
peared, indeed,  to  place  much  of  their  enjoyment  in  the  pleas- 
ures of  the  table,  at  which  they  often  remained  four  or  five 
hours. 

Magellan  availed  himself  of'^the  submissive  and  respectful 
demeanour  of  these  people,  and  exacted  from  them  and  the 
chiefs  of  the  neighbouring  islands  a  tribute,  which  seems  to  have 
been  willingly  paid.  The  King  of  Matan  alone  refused  to  ac- 
knowledge this  new  sovereignty,  and  with  much  spirit  replied 
to  the  demand,  that  as  strangers  he  wished  to  show  them  all 
suitable  courtesy,  and  had  sent  a  present,  but  he  owed  no  obe- 
dience to  those  he  had  never  seen  before,  and  would  pay  them 
none.  This  answer  greatly  incensed  the  captain-general,  now 
above  measure  elated  with  the  success  which  had  attended 


CIRCUMNAVIOATION    OF   MAGELLAN. 


45 


lus  late  labours.  He  forthwith  resolved  to  punish  the  refrac- 
tory chief,  refusing  to  listen  to  the  arguments  of  his  officers, 
and  particularly  to  those  of  Juan  Serrano,  who  remonstrated 
with  him  on  the  impolicy  of  his  design.  Accordingly,  on  the 
S7th  of  April,  being  a  Saturday,  which  Magellan  always  con- 
sidered his  fortunate  day,  he  landed  with  forty-nine  of  his  peo- 
ple clothed  in  mail,  and  began  an  attack  on  about  1500  In- 
dians. The  King  of  Zebu  attended  his  ally  with  a  force ;  but 
his  active  services  were  declined,  and  his  men  remained  in 
their  boats.  The  battle  between  crossbows  and  musketry  on 
the  one  side,  and  arrows  and  wooden  lances  on  the  other, 
raged  many  hours.  The  natives,  brave  from  the  onset,  rose 
in  courage  when  they  became  familiarized  with  the  Spanish 
fire,  which  did  comparatively  little  execution.  A  party  of  the 
latter  was  detached  to  bum  a  village,  in  the  hope  that  the  de- 
struction of  their  houses  would  overawe  and  induce  them  to  dis- 
perse ;  but  the  sight  of  the  flames  only  exasperated  them  tho 
more,  and  some  of  them,  hastening  to  the  spot,  fell  upon  their 
enemies  and  killed  two.  They  soon  learned  to  take  aim  at 
the  legs  of  the  assailants,  which  were  not  protected  by  mail ; 
and  pressing  closer  and  harder  upon  their  ranks,  threw  them 
into  disorder,  and  compelled  them  to  give  way  on  all  sides. 
Only  seven  or  eight  men  now  remained  with  their  leader, 
who,  besides,  was  wounded  in  the  limbs  by  a  poisoned  arrow. 
He  was  also  repeatedly  struck  on  the  head  with  stones ;  his 
helmet  was  twice  dashed  off;  a  lance  tlirust  between  the  bars 
wounded  him  in  the  temple ;  and  his  sword-arm  being  dis- 
abled, he  could  no  longer  defend  himself.  The  fight  contin- 
ued till  they  were  up  to  the  knees  m  water ;  and  at  last  an 
Indian  struck  Magellan  on  the  leg.  He  fell  on  his  face,  and 
as  the  islanders  crowded  about  him  was  seen  to  turn  several 
times  towards  his  companions ;  but  they  were  unable  either 
to  rescue  him  or  revenge  his  death,  and  made  for  the  boats. 
"  Thus,"  says  Pigafetta,  "  perif  hed  our  guide,  our  light,  and 
our  support !" 

Though  the  rash  warfare  waged  vyrith  the  unoffending  chief 
of  Matan  cannot  be  vindicated  on  any  principle  of  justice,  the 
premature  and  violent  death,  in  the  very  middle  of  his  career, 
of  a  navigator  and  discoverer  second  only  to  Columbus,  will 
ever  be  a  cause  of  regret.  Magellan  was  eminently  endowed 
with  the  qualities  necessary  to  a  man  engaged  in  adventures 
like  those  in  which  he  spent  his  life.    He  had  a  quick  and 


46 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  MAGELLAN. 


J 


i 


ii 


1\ 


ready  mind,  ever  fertile  in  expedients,  and  never  wanting  in 
self-possession.  He  possessed  the  rare  talent  of  command ; 
being  no  less  beloved  than  respectejd  by  his  crews,  though 
Spanish  pride  and  national  jealousy  made  the  officers  some- 
times murmur  against  his  authority.  He  was  a  skilful  and 
experienced  seaman ;  prompt,  resolute,  and  inflexible ;  having 
a  high  sense  of  his  own  dignity,  and  maintained  it  with  be- 
coming spirit.  When,  on  one  occasion,  certain  of  the  pilots 
temonstrated  with  him  on  the  direction  of  his  course,  his  only 
answer  was,  that  their  duty  was  to  follow  him,  not  to  ask 
questions.  In  personal  appearance,  he  was  rather  mean ;  his 
stature  was  short,  and  he  was  lame  from  a  wound  which  he 
had  received  in  battle  with  the  Moors.  His  former  voyage  to 
India,  which  he  extended  to  Malacca,  and  the  successful  one 
he  had  just  made,  entitle  him  to  be  named  the  first  circumnav- 
igator of  the  globe.  The  unfortunate  circumstances  which 
led  him  to  abandon  his  native  country,  in  order  to  serve  her 
foe  and  rival,  long  rendered  his  memory  odious  in  Portugal. 
The  only  land,  indeed,  in  which  his  fame  was  not  acknowl- 
edged was  the  country  which  gave  him  birth.  "  The  Portu- 
gall  authors,"  says  Purchas,  "  speake  of  him  nothing  but  trea- 
son, and  cry  out  upon  him  as  a  traitor  for  sowing  seeds  likely 
to  produce  warre  'twixt  Castile  and  Portugall :  Nor  doe  I  in 
those  thinffes  undertake  to  justifie  him.  But  out  of  his  what- 
soever evill,  God  produced  this  good  to  the  world,  that  it  was 
first  by  his  meanes  sayled  round :  Nor  was  his  neglect  of  his 
countrey  neglected,  or  revengefuU  mind  unrevenged,  as  the 
sequele  manifested  by  his  untimely  and  violent  death.**  It 
is  impossible  to  condemn  Magellan  for  carrying  his  rejected 
services  to  the  Spanish  court ;  though  the  necessity  of  such 
a  step  must  for  ever  be  deplored,  both  for  his  own  and  for  his 
country's  sake.* 

*  A  generous  feeling  has  hurried  many  writers  into  censures  on  the 
King  of  Portugal,  the  justice  of  which  may  perhaps  be  doubted.  It 
must  be  recollected,  that  the  proposal  of  Magellan  to  Emanuel  went  no 
further  than  to  undertake  the  doubtftil  search  of  e  dangerous  passage  to 
the  Moluccas ;  and  iiaX  the  Portuguese  already  enjoyed  the  monopoly  of 
a  safe  and  shorter  route  than  that  which  he  eventually  explored.  His  ma- 
jesty must  also  have  been  aware  that  the  discovery  of  a  western  passage 
to  the  Spice  Islands  wis  likely  to  cive  Spain  an  opportunity  of  asserting 
a  right  to  those  valuable  possessions,  under  the  treaty  of  Tordesillssi 
These  power  All  reasons  of*  state  policy,  in  an  age  when  self  interest 
only  was  consulted  in  undertakings  of  discovery,  ought  surely  to  have 
been  allowed  some  wdght  in  Avoar  of  the  Fwtugttese  court,  and,  at  any 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OP   MAGELLAN.        4Y 


Eight  Spaniards  fell  with  their  leader,  and  twenty-two  were 
wounded.  During  the  heat  of  the  engagement  the  King  of 
Zebu  sat  in  his  balanghay,  gazing  on  the  combat,  which  had 
doubtless  produced  a  considerable  change  in  his  notions  as  to 
the  prowess  of  his  new  allies ;  but  towards  its  close  he  ren- 
dered some  assistance  which  facilitated  their  re-embarcation. 
Though  tempting  offers  were  made  to  the  people  of  Matan 
to  give  up  the  body  of  the  captain-general,  they  would  not 
part  with  so  proud  a  trophy  of  victory.  The  result  of  this 
fatal  battle  put  an  end  to  the  friendship  of  the  new  Christian 
king.  He  wished  to  make  his  peace  with  the  offended  sov- 
ereign of  Matan,  and  by  means  of  the  treacherous  slave  En- 
rique, who,  on  the  death  of  Magellan  his  master,  refused, 
until  compelled  by  threats,  to  continue  his  services  as  inter- 
preter, formed  a'plan  for  seizing  the  ships,  arms,  and  mer- 
chandise. The  officers  were  invited  on  shore  to  a  banquet, 
where  they  expected  to  receive,  previous  to  their  departure, 
a  rich  present  of  jewels,  prepared  before  the  death  of  Magel- 
lan for  his  most  Catholic  Majesty.  A  party  landed  accord- 
ingly to  the  number  of  twenty-four ;  but  from  certain  ap- 
pearances which  met  their  eyes,  Juan  Carvallo  the  pilot,  and 
another  Spaniard,  suspected  treachery,  and  returned  to  the 
ships.  They  had  scarcely  reached  them,  when  the  shrieks  of 
the  victims  were  heard.  The  anchors  being  instantly  raised, 
the  vessels  were  laid  close  to  the  shore  and  fired  several 
shots  upon  the  town.  At  this  time  Captain  Juan  Serrano 
was  seen  dragged  to  the  edge  of  the  water,  wounded,  and 
tied  hand  and  foot.  He  earnestly  entreated  his  countrymen 
to  desist  from  firing,  and  to  ransom  him  from  this  cruel  and 
treacherous  people.  They  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  his  prayers  ; 
and  he  was  thus  left  at  the  mercy  of  the  islanders.  Pigafetta 
relates  that,  "  finding  all  his  entreaties  were  vain,  he  uttered 
deep  imprecations,  and  appealed  to  the  Almighty  on  the  great 
day  of  judgment  to  exact  account  of  his  soul  from  Juan  Car- 
vallo, his  fellow-gossip.  His  cries  were,  however,  disregard- 
ed,** continues  the  narrator,  "  and  we  set  sail  without  ever 
hearing  afterward  what  became  of  him."    This  cruel  aban- 

rate,  to  bave  obviated  such  obloquy  as  tbat  of  Dalrymple  in  the  fbllow- 
ing  sentence :— "  Every  public-spirited  PortaKue«e  mast  lament  that 
oblivion  has  concealed  the  names  of  those  ministers  who  merit  the  eter- 
nal  execration  of  their  country,  for  being  instrumental  in  depriving  it  of 
the  services  of  so  great  a  manas  Magalhanes."— Hist.  Collect,  of  Ducov 
in  the  Boutb  Sea,  vol.  L,  p.  4. 


48 


CIRCUMNAVIOATION    OF  MAGELLAN. 


donment  of  a  friend  is  imputed  to  the  hope  which  Carvallo 
entertained  of  succeeding  to  the  command  on  the  death  of 
Serrano,  the  captains  of  the  other  ships  being  already  mas- 
sacred. It  is  but  justice  to  the  people  of  Zebu  to  mention, 
that  one  narrative  of  the  voyage  imputes  the  indiscriminate 
slaughter  of  the  Spaniards  to  a  quarrel  arising  between  them 
and  the  natives,  for  insulting  their  women.  Some  years  after- 
ward it  was  incidentally  learned  that,  instead  of  being  all 
murdered,  eight  of  the  Europeans  were  carried  to  China  and 
sold  as  slaves.     But  the  truth  was  never  clearly  ascertained. 

The  armament  of  Magellan  next  touched  at  the  Island  of 
Bohol,  where,  finding  their  numbers  so  much  reduced  by  sick- 
ness and  the  battle  of  Matan,  they  burnt  one  of  the  ships, 
first  removing  the  guns  and  stores  into  the  others  now  com- 
manded by  Carvallo.  At  Zebu  they  had  already  heard  of  the 
Moluccas,  their  ultimate  destination.  They  touched  at  Chip- 
pit  in  Mindanao  on  their  way,  and  afterward  at  Cagayan  Soo- 
loo,  where  they  first  heard  of  Borneo.  In  this  voyage  they 
were  so  badly  provided  with  food,  that  several  times  hunger 
had  nearly  compelled  them  to  abandon  their  ships,  and  estab- 
lish themselves  on  some  of  the  islands,  where  they  meant  to 
end  their  days.  This  purpose  appears  to  have  been  particu- 
larly strong  after  leaving  the  last-mentioned  anchorage,  where 
the  people  used  hollow  reeds,  through  which,  by  the  force  of 
their  breath,  they  darted  poisoned  arrows  at  their  enemies,  and 
had  the  hilts  of  their  poniards  ornamented  with  gold  and  pre- 
cious stones.  The  trees,  moreover,  grew  to  a  great  height, 
but  none  of  the  necessary  supplies  could  be  obtained.  They 
therefore  sailed  with  heavy  hearts  and  empty  stomachs  to  Pu- 
luan,  where,  provisions  being  very  abundant,  they  acquired 
fresh  courage  to  persevere  in  tjjeir  voyage.  Here  a  pilot  was 
procured,  with  whose  assistance  they  steered  towards  Borneo, 
which  island  they  reached  on  the  8th  July,  1521,  and  anchored 
three  leagues  from  the  city,  which  was  computed  to  contain 
25,000  families.  It  was  built  within  high-water  mark,  and 
the  houses  were  raised  on  posts.  At  full  tide  the  inhabitants 
communicated  by  boats,  when  the  women  sold  their  various 
commodities.  The  religion  of  Borneo  was  the  Mahometan. 
It  abounded  in  wealth,  and  the  natives  are  described  as  exhib- 
iting a  higher  degree  of  civilization  and  refinement  than  has 
been  con&rmed  by  subsequent  accounts.  Letters  were  known, 
and  many  of  the  arts  flourished  among  them ;  they  used  brass 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   MAGELLAN. 


49 


coin  in  their  commerce  with  one  another,  and  distilled  from 
rice  the  spirit  known  in  the  East  by  the  name  of  arrack. 

Presents  were  here  exchanged,  and,  after  the  ceremonial  of 
introduction,  permission  to  trade  was  granted.  Elephants 
were  sent  to  the  water's  side  for  the  Spanish  embassy  ;  and  a 
feast  of  veal,  capons,  several  other  kinds  of  fowl,  and  fish, 
was  placed  before  them  on  the  floor,  while  they  sat  on  mats 
made  of  palm.  After  each  mouthful  they  sipped  arrack 
from  porcelain  cups.  They  were  supplied  with  golden  spoons 
to  eat  their  rice ;  in  their  sleeping  apartment  two  wax 
flambeaux  in  silver  candlesticks,  and  two  large  lamps  with  four 
lights  to  each,  were  kept  burning  all  night,  two  men  being  ap- 
pointed to  attend  to  them.  The  king  was  a  stout  man  about 
forty.  When  admitted  to  an  interview,  the  deputation  first 
passed  through  a  large  saloon  thronged  with  courtiers,  and 
then  into  an  ante-room,  where  were  300  guards  armed  with 
poniards.  At  the  extremity  of  the  apartment  was  a  brocade 
curtain,  and  when  this  was  drawn  up  the  king  was  seen  sitting 
at  a  table  with  a  little  child,  and  chewing  betel,  while  close 
behind  him  were  ranged  his  female  attendants.  No  suiter 
was  permitted  to  address  his  majesty  personally,  but  commu- 
nicated his  business  in  the  first  place  to  a  courtier,  who  told  it 
to  one  of  a  higher  rank,  who  again  repeated  it  to  a  still  greater 
dignitary,  who,  in  his  turn,  by  means  of  a  hollow  cane  fixed 
in  the  wall,  breathed  it  into  the  inner  chamber  to  one  of  the 
principal  officers,  by  whom  it  was  ultimately  conveyed  to  the 
royal  ear.  The  monarch  received  the  Spanish  gifts  with 
merely  a  slight  movement  of  the  head,  discovering  no  eager 
or  undignified  curiosity,  and  returned  presents  of  brocade^  and 
cloth  of  gold  and  silver.  The  courtiers  were  all  naked,  save 
a  piece  of  ornamented  cloth  round  their  waists.  On  their  fin- 
gers they  wore  many  rings ;  and  their  poniards  had  golden 
Handles  set  with  gems.  The  curtain  of  the  royal  saloon, 
which  was  raised  when  the  ceremony  began,  dropped  at  the 
conclusion,  and  all  was  over.  Pigafetta  was  told  that  the  king 
had  two  pearls  as  large  as  pullets'  eggs,  and  so  perfectly  round 
that,  placed  on  a  polished  table,  they  rolled  continually.  The 
productions  of  Borneo  were  rice,  sugar-canes,  ginger,  cam- 
phire,  gums,  wax  ;  fruits  and  vegetables  in  great  variety ;  and 
among  the  animals  were  elephants,  camels,  horses,  and  buffa> 
loes,  asses,  sheep,  and  goats.  The  people  were  peculiarly 
skilful  in  the  manufacture  of  porcelain,  which  constituted  a 

£ 


# 


50 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   MAGELLAN. 


principal  article  of  their  merchandise.  Their  pirogues  werv 
ingeniously  formed,  and  those  used  for  state  purposes  had 
their  prows  carved  and  gilt. 

The  Spaniards,  who  seldom  or  never  left  any  port  they  vis- 
ited on  good  terms  with  the  people,  in  real  or  atfected  alarm 
for  an  attack,  seized  several  junks  in  the  harbour,  in  which 
they  knew  there  was  a  rich  booty,  and  kidnapped  some  persons 
of  quality. 

The  authority  of  Carvallo,  which  had  never  been  respected, 
was  now  set  aside  by  the  choice  of  Espinosa  as  captain-gen- 
eral. Sebastian  del  Cano,  a  Discayan,  was  also  made  a  com- 
mander ;  and  the  squadron  forthwith  conunenced  what  more 
resembled  a  privateering  cruise  than  a  peaceful  voyage  of  dis- 
covery and  traffic,  pillaging  all  the  small  vessels  they  met,  and 
holding  the  passengers  to  ransom.  Between  the  north  cape 
of  Borneo  and  the  Island  of  Cimbubon  they  found  a  commo- 
dious port  for  careening — a  labour  which  occupied  them  forty- 
two  days.  They  were  destitute  of  many  things  necessary  for 
making  repairs  ;  but  the  most  serious  inconvenience  was  the 
diiliculty  of  procuring  timber,  which,  although  barefooted, 
they  were  obliged  to  drag  from  among  the  tangled  and  prickly 
bushes.  It  was  among  these  thickets  that  Pigafetta  found  the 
famous  animated  leaf,  the  account  of  which  tended  so  much 
at  first  to  stamp  his  narrative  with  the  character  of  fable. 
'*  What  to  me  seemed  most  extraordinary,"  he  says, "  was  to  see 
trees,  the  leaves  of  which  as  they  fell  became  animated.  These 
leaves  resemble  those  of  the  Aiulberry-trce,  except  in  not  being 
so  long.  Their  stalk  is  short  and  pointed  ;  and  near  the  stalk, 
on  one  side  and  the  other,  they  have  two  feet.  Upon  being 
touched  they  make  away ;  but  when  crushed  they  yield  no 
blood.  I  kept  one  in  a  box  for  nine  days  ;  on  opening  the  box 
at  the  end  of  this  time,  the  leaf  was  alive  and  walking  round 
it.  I  am  of  opinion  they  live  on  air."  Subsequent  travel- 
lers have  observed  a  similar  phenomenon,  and  some  conjec- 
ture that  it  is  moved  by  an  insect  within  ;  while  others  de- 
scribe it  as  a  species  of  bat,  the  wings  of  which  exactly  re- 
semble a  brown  leaf  with  its  fibres.  Continuing  their  pirati- 
cal voyage,  they  encountered  a  dreadful  storm,  and  in  their 
alarm  vowed  to  set  free  a  slave  in  honour  of  each  of  the  three 
saints,  Elmo,  Nicholas,  and  Clare.  The  desired  lights,  the 
tokens  of  safety,  having  appeared  on  the  mast-heads,  and  con- 
tinued to  shine  two  hours,  the  storm  abated,  and  the  prooused 


I 

'H 


f" 
■.,)' 


N. 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF  MAGELLAN.         51 


gues  wert 
rposes  had 

rt  they  vis- 
cted  alarm 
r,  in  which 
me  persons 

[  respected, 
aptain-gen- 
ade  a  com- 
what  more 
^age  of  dis- 
ey  met,  and 
north  cape 
1  a  commo- 
them  forty- 
ecessary  for 
ice  was  the 
barefooted, 
and  prickly 
ta  found  the 
ed  so  much 
er  of  fable. 
'*  was  to  see 
;ed.    These 
in  not  being 
ar  the  stalk, 
Upon  being 
ey  yield  no 
ing  the  box 
cing  round 
lent  travel- 
me  conjee- 
others  de- 
exactly  re- 
heir  pirati- 
nd  in  their 
>f  the  three 
lights,  the 
s,  and  con- 
e  promised 


v>-\ 


offering  was  made.*  Touching  at  Sarrangan,  they  seized  two 
natives,  whom  they  compelled  to  act  as  their  pilots  to  the  long- 
sought  Moluccas,  which  they  at  length  reached,  and  on  the  8m 
November  anchored  at  Tidore.  They  met  with  a  hospitable 
and  kind  reception.  The  ships  were  visited  by  Almanzor,  the 
sovereign  of  the  island  ;  a  traffic  in  spices  was  commenced, 
and  a  factory  established  on  shore,  where  trade  soon  became 
brisk,  the  native  productions  being  readily  given  in  exchange 
for  red  cloth,  drinking-glasses,  Imives,  and  hatchets.  Tlus 
king  was  a  Mahometan,  to  which  faith  the  Moors,  at  a  pe- 
riod comparatively  recent,  had  converted  as  many  of  the  na- 
tive princes  of  the  East  Indian  Islands  as  they  had  stripped  of 
their  power. 

The  Moluccas,  which  had  been  discovered  by  the  Portu- 
guese in  the  year  1611,  were  found  to  be  five  in  number, 
lying  on  the  west  coast  of  a  large  island  called  Gilolo.  They 
were  named  Tidore,  Temate,  Motir,  Bachian,  and  Maquian. 
Their  best  spices  were  nutmegs,  cloves,  ginger,  and  cinnamon, 
which  grew  almost  spontaneously.  The  nouses  were  built 
on  piles  or  posts,  and  fenced  round  with  cane  hedges.  The 
King  of  Bachian  sent  as  a  gift  to  the  emperor  two  dead  birds 
of  exquisite  beauty,  which  the  natives  called  '*  birds  of  God," 
saying  they  came  from  Paradise.  These  animals,  as  well  as 
the  clove-tree,  of  which  Pigafetta  gives  a  description,  are  now 
well  known.  By  the  middle  of  December  the  cargoes  were 
completed ;  and  the  Spanish  commander,  ready  to  depart, 
was  charged  with  letters  and  presents,  consisting  of  the  rarest 
productions  of  the  island,  sent  to  the  emperor  his  master  by 
the  King  of  Tidore.  When  about  to  sail,  the  Trinidad  was 
found  unfit  for  sea ;  and  the  Vitoria  proceeded  alone  on  the 
homeward  voyage,  with  a  crew  of  forty-seven  Europeans, 
thirteen  Indians,  and  also  Molucca  pilots.  These  native  mar- 
iners entertained  the  Europeans  with  many  a  marvellous  le- 
fend.  While  steering  for  Mindanao,  before  coming  to  the 
[oluccas,  Pigafetta  had  heard  of  a  tribe  of  hairy  men,  inhab- 
iting a  cape  on  the  Island  Benaian,  very  fierce  and  warlike, 

*  It  may  b«  proper  to  explain,  that  the  electric  lights,  which  in  stormy 
weather  are  frequently  seen  flickering  on  the  tips  of  the  masts,  were  be- 
lieved to  represent  the  body  of  Saint  Elmo,  and  regarded  as  a  ssre  sign 
that  there  was  no  danger  in  the  tempest.  When  the  lights  were  thret>  in 
number,  two  of  them  were  supposed  to  mark  the  presence  of  Nidiolaii 
and  Clare.  The  appearance  of  these  lambent  flames  was  bailed  wldi  tlie 
chanting  of  litanies  and  orisons. 


52 


CIRCVMNAVIGAIION   OF   MAGELLAN. 


and  who  were  said  to  consume .  the  hearts  of  their  prisonem 
with  lemon  or  orange  juice  ;  and  he  was  now  told  of  a  people 
whose  ears  were  so  long,  that  the  one  served  them  for  a  mat- 
tress and  the  other  for  a  coverlet.*  He  was  also  informed  of 
a  tree,  which  gave  shelter  to  birds  of  sufficient  sixe  and 
strength  to  pounce  upon  an  elephant,  and  bear  him  up  into 
the  air. 

The  Vitoria  touched  at  different  places  in  the  voyage  to 
Spain,  and,  after  a  mutiny  and  the  loss  of  twenty-one  men, 
passed  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  on  the  6th  May,  1522.  Being 
reduced  to  the  greatest  extremity  for  want  of  provisions,  the 
officers  anchored  in  the  harbour  of  Santiago,  one  of  the  Cape 
de  Verd  Islands  belonging  to  the  Portuguese,  on  what,  accord- 
ing to  their  reckoning,  was  Wednesday,  the  9th  July,  but 
which,  in  fact,  proved  Thursday,  the  10th — a  difference  which 
was  extrebiely  perplexing  at  fost,  though  a  little  reflection 
soon  enabled  Pigafctta  to  perceive  the  reason,  t  Some  pro- 
visions were  obtained  before  the  quarter  whence  the  ship  had 
come  was  suspected ;  but  the  truth  being  at  length  discovered, 
in  consequence  of  a  sailor  offering  some  spices  in  exchange 
for  refreshments,  the  boat  was  seized,  and  the  people  on  boara, 
seeing  preparations  making  for  an  attack,  crowded  sail  and 
escaped. 

On  Saturday,  the  6th  September,  1522,  after  a  voyage 
of  three  years'  duration,  in  which  upwards  of  14,600  leagues 
of  sea  had  been  traversed,  Sebastian  del  Cano  brought  the 


*  The  classical  reader  will  be  amused  by  tbe  coincidence  between  the 
,,^         narratives  or  the  Molucca  pilots  and  the  wonders  related  by  Strabo,  who 
recounts  this  among  other  legends  brought  flrom  the  East  by  the  soldiers 
of  Alexander  the  Great. 

t  To  illustrate  the  fiftct  mentioned  in  the  text,  let  us  suppose  a  ship 
sailing  westward  keeps  pace  with  tha  sun,  it  is  evident  that  the  crew 
would  have  continual  day,  or  it  would  be  the  same  day  to  them  durinff 
their  circumnavigation  of  the  earth ;  whereas  the  people  who  remained 
at  the  place  the  vessel  departed  flrom  would  have  a  night  In  the  mean- 
time, and  consequently  must  reckon  a  day  more  than  the  vt^agers.  If 
the  ship  sailed  eastward,  an  opposite  efi^ct  would  be  produced ;  for,  by 
constantly  meeting  the  sun  every  morning  at  an  earlier  hour,  a  whole 
day  is  gained  in  the  tour  of  the  globe.  Hence,  if  two  ships  should  set  out 
at  the  same  time  flrom  any  port,  and  sail  round  the  world,  the  one  east- 
ward and  the  other  westward,  so  as  to  meet  again  at  the  same  port,  they 
will  be  found  to  differ  ttuo  days  in  reckoning  iheir  time  at  iheir  return. — 
Keith  on  the  Use  of  the  Globes,  p.  43.  A  beautinil  illustration  of  the 
phenomenon  will  also  be  found  in  Sir  J.  F.  W.  Herschel's  Treatise  on 
Astronomy  (Lardner's  CabiiMt  Cyclopsedia),  p.  137. 


CIRCUMNAYIGATION    OF  MAGELLAN. 


53 


Vitoria  into  San  Lucar,  and  on  the  8th  proceeded  up  the  river 
to  Seville.  Pigafetta,  from  whom  every  historian  of  this  re- 
markable voyase  borrows  so  largely,  conclude^  his  narrative 
in  language  almost  poetical : — "  This  our  wonderful  ship, 
taking  her  departure  from  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  and  sailing 
southward  through  the  great  ocean  towards  the  Antarctic  Pole, 
«nd  then  turning  west,  followed  that  course  so  long  that,  pas- 
sing round,  she  came  into  the  east,  and  thence  again  into  the 
west,  not  by  sailing  back,  but  proceeding  constantly  forward ; 
«o  compassing  about  the  globe  of  the  world,  until  she  marvel- 
lously regained  her  native  country  Spain."  The  crew  on 
reaching  Seville  walked  in  their  shirts,  barefooted,  and  carry- 
ing tapers  in  their  hands,  to  church,  to  offer  thanks  for  their 
safe  return ;  eighteen  men,  out  of  sixty  who  sailed  from  the 
Moluccas,  beinj  all  that  came  home  in  the  Vitoria.  The  ves- 
sel itself  became  the  theme  of  poets  and  romancers;  but 
though  some  have  asserted  that  she  was  preserved  till  she  fell 
to  pieces,  Oviedo,  a  contemporary  writer,  states  that  she  was 
lost  on  her  return  from  a  voyage  to  St.  Domingo.  The  com- 
mander, Sebastian  del  Cano,  escaped  the  neglect  which  was 
the  common  fate  of  Spanish  discoverers.  He  was  liberally 
rewarded,  and  obtained  letters-patent  of  nobility,  with  a  globe 
for  a  crest,  and  the  motto  Primus  me  circumdedisti  (You  first 
encompassed  me). 

The  Trinidad  was  less  fortunate  than  her  consort.  After 
having  refitted,  she  attempted  to  recross  the  Pacific,  but  was 
nearly  wrecked ;  and  being  driven  back,  the  crew  were  made 
prisoners  by  the  Portuguese,  whose  jealousy  of  Spanish  enter- 
prise in  these  parts  was  now  violently  inflamed  by  the  late 
transactions  at  the  Moluccas. 

The  voyage  of  Magellan  was  attended  by  the  most  impor- 
tant results ;  it  effected  the  conununication  so  long  desured 
between  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific  Oceans,  and  removed 
the  barriers  which  had  hitherto  obstructed  European  naviga- 
tion in  the  latter  sea.  It  opened  a  new  path  to  the  riches 
of  India  and  the  spices  of  the  contiguous  islands ;  and,  in  fact, 
achieved  what  Columbus  and  his  companions  had  so  long  en- 
deavoured to  accomplish.  It  ascertained  the  southern  bound- 
ary of  the  American  continent,  and  the  extent  of  the  great 
sea  which  divides  Asia  from  that  portion  of  the  globe,  ni  its 
progress  he  discovered  the  Unfortunate  Islands,  the  islands 
SajTpan,  Tinian,  and  Aguigan,  four  others  of  the  group 

£2 


54 


FROM   MAGELLAN   TO   THE   END 


of  the  Ladrones,  and  the  Philippines  or  Archipelago  of  St. 
Lazarus.  He  also  demonstrated  the  spherical  form  of  the 
earth  beyond  the  possibility  of  doubt;  and  accomplished 
what  had  baffled,  even  on  the  threshold,  every  previous  navi- 
gator. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

Discoveries  and   Circumnavigations  from  Magellan  to  the 
End  of  the  Sixteenth  Century. 

Expedition  of  Loyasa.— Discovery  of  Papua  or  New  Guinea.— -Voyage  of 
Saavedra.— Of  Villalobos.— Of  Legaspi.— Of  Juan  Fernandez.— Expe- 
dition of  Mendana,  and  Discovery  of  tlie  Solomon  Islands.— John  Oxen- 
ham,  the  first  Englishman  that  sailed  on  the  Pacific  — Circumnaviga- 
tion of  Sir  Francis  Drake.— Expedition  of  Sarmiento. — Circumnaviga- 
tion of  Cavendish.- His  Second  Voyage.— The  Falkland  Islands  discov- 
ered.—Expedition  of  Sir  Richard  Hawkins.— Second  Voyage  of  Menda- 
na.—The  Marquesas.— Santa  Cruz.— Expedition  of  five  Dutch  Vessels. 
—Circumnavigation  of  Van  Noort.— Retrospect. 

All  the  seas  and  lands  discovered  by  Magellan  were  de- 
clared by  Spain  to  be  her  exclusive  possession — an  assumption 
which  the  other  European  states,  especially  Portugal,  were 
unwilling  to  acknowledge.  Th»  privilege  of  sailing  by  this 
track  to  the  Moluccas,  as  woU  as  those  islands  themselves, 
the  principal  advantages  gained  by  the  recent  discoveries, 
were  claimed  on  the  double  title  of  the  papal  grant  and  the 
alleged  cession  by  the  native  princes.  But  John  III.,  the  Por- 
tuguese monarch,  was  equally  tonacious  of  his  rights.  The 
old  dispute  as  to  the  boundary  and  partition  line  wae  renewed, 
and  referred  to  a  convocation  of  learned  cosmographers  and 
skilful  pilots,  who  met  near  Badajos,  and  parted  as  they  met ; 
the  commissioners  of  both  crowns  being  alike  obstinate  in 
their  claims.  The  respective  governments  were  thus  left  to 
establish  their  rival  pretensions  as  they  should  find  most  con- 
venient ;  and  Spain,  accordingly,  lost  no  time  in  fitting  out 

'  an  expedition  to  secure  the  full  benefit  of  Magellan's  lat)ours. 

i  This  armament  consisted  of  seven  vessek,  of  which  Garcia 
Jofr?  de  Loyasa,  a  knight  of  St.  John,  was  appointed  captain- 


OF  THE    SIXTEENTH    CENTURY. 


55 


general ;  Sebastian  del  Cano  and  other  survivers  of  the  former 
enterprise  going  out  under  his  command.  The  squadron 
Fjailed  from  Corunna  on  the  24th  of  July^  1525.  Every  pre- 
caution having  been  taken  to  ensure  the  success  of  the  voy- 
age, the  fleet  at  first  proceeded  prosperously.  But  accidents 
soon  occurred ;  and  to  the  still  imperfect  state  of  nautical 
science  we  must  impute  many  of  the  subsequent  disasters  of 
Loyasa.  The  captain-generu  was  separated  from  the  other 
ships ;  the  strait  so  lat^y  discovered  had  already  become  un- 
certain ;  Sebastian  del  Cano*s  vessel  was  wrecked  near  Cape 
de  las  Virgines ;  the  others  were  injured ;  one  of  them  was 
forced  to  the  southward,*  and  two,  after  suffering  much 
damage,  appear  to  have  been  conducted  back  to  Spain.  In 
short,  it  was  April  before  they  entered  the  sound ;  the  pas- 
sage proving  tedious  an  J  'ismal,  and  the  crew  having  suffered 
much  from  the  'extrer.t''  '  I  Few  natives  were  seen,  and 
those  who  appeared  wi>  *\}  ligns  of  a  hostile  disposition, 
probably  from  recollecting  iiow  their  confidence  was  abused 
by  their  former  visiters.  On  the  26th  of  May  the  fleet 
reached  the  South  Sea,  but  was  almost  immediately  dispersed 
in  a  storm.  Two  of  the  vessels  steered  for  New  Spain,  and  in 
their  course  endured  much  from  want  of  provisions ;  the 
sailors  having  little  else  to  subsist  on  than  the  birds  which  they 
caught  in  the  rigeins.  Of  the  two  remaining  ships,  one  ran 
aground  at  the  Island  of  Sanghir,  after  the  crew  had  mutinied 
and  thrown  overboard  the  captain,  his  brother,  and  the  pilot ; 
while  the  other,  which  carried  the  admiral  and  his  second  in 
command,  held  northwest.  Both  these  officers  were  now 
sick ;  and  four  days  after  crossing  the  line,  being  the  30th  of 
July,  1526,  Loyasa  died,  and  Del  Cano,  who  had  weathered  so 
many  dangers,  expired  in  less  than  a  week.  Alonzo  de  Sa- 
lazar,  who  succeeded  to  the  charge,  steered  for  the  Ladrones, 
and,  in  14°  north,  discovered  the  island  which  he  named 


» 

J/ 
i 


*  The  Spaniards  claim  an  important  discovflry  in  consequence  or  this 
accidental  circumstance.  The  San  Lesmes,  a  bark  commanded  by  Fran- 
cisco de  Hozes,  is  reported  to  have  been  driven  to  5S®  south  in  the  gale, 
and  the  captain  affirmed  that  he  had  seen  the  end  of  Tierra  del  Fuego. 
This  a  Spanish  writer  supposes  to  have  been  Cape  Horn  ;  while  Bumey 
thinlcs  it  more  probable  that  it  was  Staten  Lano,  the  certain  discovery 
or  which  in,  however,  of  much  later  date.  The  extent  of  projecting 
land  between  the  eastern  entrance  to  the  strait  and  Cape  Horn  makes  it 
unlikely  that  it  could  have  been  seen  by  the  crew  of  the  San  Lesmes.— 
Chron.  Hist,  of  Discovery  in  the  South  Sea,  vol  i.,  p.  1S4. 


*.  n 


56 


FROM   MAGELLAN  TO  THE  END 


;  \ 


San  Btrtolome,  the  native  appellation  of  which  has  been 
lately  ascertained  to  be  Poulousouk.^  Between  Maeellan^s 
Strait  and  the  latitude  now  specified,  thirty-eight  of  the  sea- 
men perished,  and  the  survivors  were  so  enfeebled  that  they 
Uiought  proper  to  entrap  eleven  Indians  to  work  the  pumps. 
Salazar,  the  third  commander,  died ;  and  it  was  November 
before  they  came  to  anchor  at  Zamafo,  a  port  in  an  island 
belonging  to  their  ally  the  King  of  Tidore.  On  reaching  the 
Moluccas,  disputes  immediately  arose  between  the  Spaniards- 
and  the  Portuguese  governor  settled  at  Temate  ;  and  a  petty 
maritime  warfare  ensued,  which  was  prosecuted  several  years 
with  various  degrees  of  activity  and  success — the  people  of 
Tidore  supporting  their  former  friends,  while  those  of  Ter- 
nate  espoused  the  cause  of  their  rivals. 

In  the  «)0urse  of  this  year,  1620,  Papua  was  discovered  by 
Don  Jorge  de  Meneses,  in  his  passage  from  Malacca  to  the 
Spice  Islands,  of  which  he  had  been  appointed  governor  by 
the  court  of  Portugal.  About  the  same  period,  Diego  da 
Rocha  made  himself  acquainted  with  the  Islands  de  Sequeira ; 
believed  to  be  apart  of  those  which  in  modern  times  bear  the 
name  of  Pelew,  and  belong  to  the  extensive  archipelago  of 
the  Carolines.!  In  the  course  of  the  following  summer,  the 
fourth  captain-general  of  Loyasa^s  squadron  died,  as  was  al- 
leged, by  poison  administered  at  the  instigation  of  the  Por- 
tuguese governor ;  and  shortly  afterward  his  ship,  which  had 
been  much  damaged  by  repeated  actions,  was  declared  unfit 
for  Uie  homeward  voyage. 

In  the  same  season,  the  celebrated  Heman  Cortes  equipped 
three  vessels  for  the  Spice  Isles,  which  sailed  from  New  Spain 
on  the  eve  of  All  Saints  under  the  command  of  his  kinsman 
Alvaro  de  Saavedra.  Two  of  them  were  almost  imme- 
diately separated  from  the  adminfl,  who,  pursuing  his  course 
alone,  after  leaving  the  Ladrones,  discovered  on  Twelfth  Day 
a  cluster  of  islands,  to  which,  from  this  circumstance,  he  gave 
the  name  of  Los  Reyes,  or  The  Kings,  t    The  men  were 

*  VoyafB  antoar  du  Monde,  par.  M.  L.  de  Freycinet.  Historiqae,  tome 
H.,  p.  fiO,  m 

t  **  Let  lies  qu*il  [Diego  da  Rocha]  nomma  Sequeira,  ne  paroissent 
£tre  autras,  ef:  eflRst,  que  le«  Matehtas,  sUu^es  dans  I'E.  N.  E.  des  Pa- 
lao«."— Freycinet,  in  op.  eit.,  tome  ii.,  p.  76. 

t  They  are  included  in  the  Caroline  range,  and  are  supposed  to  be 
Identical  with  lbs  Egoi  Islands  of  the  present  maps.— Freycinet,  tome 
iU.,  p.  70. 


r 


or  THE   SIXTEENTH   CBNTVRY. 


67 


naked,  save  a  piece  of  mattiDB  about  their  middle — tall,  ro- 
bust, and  swarthy,  with  long  hair  and  rough  beards.  They 
had  large  canoes,  and  were  armed  with  cane  lances.  When 
Saavedra,  after  a  run  of  little  more  than  two  months,  reached 
the  Moluccas,  he  was  immediately  attacked  by  the  Portu- 
guese, bat  aupported  by  his  countiymen,  the  residue  of  Lo- 
yasa's  fleet,  who  had  now  built  a  bri^antine.  Having  com- 
pleted his  carffo,  he  sailed  for  New  Spam  on  the  3d  June,  1628 
—an  eastward  voyage  that  for  a  series  of  years  baffled  the  most 
skilful  navigators.  Land  was  reached,  which  the  Spaniards 
named  Isla  del  Oro,  in  the  belief  that  it  abounded  in  gold. 
There  is,  however,  reason  to  conclude  that  it  was  Papua,  af- 
terward called  New  Guinea,  from  the  resemblance  between 
the  natives  and  the  negroes  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  They 
were  black,  with  short  crisped  hair,  and  had  the  features  of 
that  distinctive  race  of  Polynesia,  since  termed  Oceanic  ne- 
groes, who  are  found  in  many  of  those  groups  which  are  scat- 
tered throughout  the  vast  Pacific,  sometimes  mixed  with  the 
other  great  family  by  which  these  islands  are  peopled,  but 
generally  apart.  Saavedra,  finding  the  wind  unfavourable, 
was  obliged  to  return  to  the  Moluccas ;  nor  was  his  second 
attempt  to  reach  New  Spain,  in  the  following  year,  more  for- 
tunate. In  this  voyage  he  once  more  touched  at  Papua.  When 
formerly  there  he  hra  made  three  captives,  two  of  whom,  on 
again  seeing  the  beloved  shores  of  their  native  land,  plunged 
into  the  sea  while  thn  ship  was  yet  distant ;  but  the  third, 
who  was  more  tractabl  .  and  had  by  this  time  been  baptized, 
remained  as  envoy  fron  his  new  friends  to  b!.s  ancient  coun- 
trymen, and  to  establish  i  amicable  traffic.  When  the  ves- 
sel neared  the  beach,  he  also  left  her,  in  order  to  swim  ashore ; 
but,  without  being  allowed  to  land,  he  was  assailed  and  mur-' 
dered,  as  an  outcast  and  renegade,  in  presence  of  his  Chris- 
tian patrons.  A  group  of  small  islands  (part  of  the  Caro- 
lines) in  7^  north,  were,  from  the  circumstance  of  the  natives 
being  tattooed  or  painted,  named  Los  Pintados.  To  the 
northeast  of  this  cluster,  several  low  ones,  well  peopled,  were 
discovered,  and  named  Los  Buenos  Jardines.*  At  this 
place  Saavedra  dropped  anchor,  and  the  inhabitants  drew 

*  "  Noua  reoonnoiMoni  dans  lea  premi  tres  [Los  Pintados]  line  potw 
tion  des  lies  Ralik,  «t  dans  I«s  secondes  [Los  JBuenm  Jardines]  I'extr^ 
loit^  nord  des  Radak,  groupe  explore  long-tempa  apris  [1810-17]  par  to 
capitaine  russe  Kotxebue."— Freycinet,  tomeii.,  p.  76. 


# 


FROM   MAGELLAN   TO   THB   END 


near  the  shore,  waving  a  flag.  A  number  of  men  came 
on  board,  accompanied  by  a  female,  who  touched  each  of 
the  Spaniards  in  succession,  and  was  from  that  circum- 
stance supposed  to  be  a  sorceress  brought  for  the  purpose 
of  discovering  what  kind  of  beings  they  were.  Both  sexea 
were  light-complexioned  and  tattooed.  The  women  were 
beautiful,  with  agreeable  features  and  long  black  hair,  and 
wore  dresse  of  fine  matting.  Saavedra,  on  landing,  wa» 
met  by  a  promiscuous  band  advancing  in  a  certain  order, 
with  tambourines  and  festal  songs.  1  o  gratify  the  curiosity 
of  their  chief,  a  musket  was  fired,  which  struck  them  with 
such  terror  that  the  greater  part  immediately  fled  in  their  ca- 
noes to  a  station  tmree  leagues  distant,  whence  they  were 
with  difficulty  induced  to  return.  These  islands  afforded 
abundance  of  cocoanuts  and  other  vegetable  productions. 
The  commander  died  soon  after  leaving  the  Good  Gardens  ;* 
and  after  vainly  attempting  to  reach  New  Spain,  the  ship 
once  more  returned  to  the  Moluccas.  After  sustaining  many 
varieties  of  fortune,  the  Spaniards,  finding  that  they  could 
procure  no  re-enforcements  from  their  own  country,  consented 
to  abandon  the  settlement,  on  condition  of  being  furnished  with 
means  to  convey  them  home.  They  accordingly  departed  for 
Cochin  in  1534,  but  did  not  reach  Europe  till  1637,  after  an  ab- 
sence of  twelve  years.  "  Though  the  honour,"  says  Bumey, 
"  of  sending  forth  the  second  ship  that  encircled  the  globe  cannot 
be  claimed  by  the  Spanish  nation,  it  is  nevertheless  a  justice 


M 


*  To  Saavedra  is  aseribel  the  bold  idoa  of  cutting  a  canal  fW>m  sea  to 
sea  through  the  Isthmus  ni'  Darlen.  This  project,  which  has  been  often 
revived,  very  early  engaged  the  attention  of  Spain.  It  Is  discussed  in 
Joe.  Acoata'ii  History  or  tlie  Indies,  who  urges  against  the  design  an 
opinion,  that  one  sea  being  higher  than  the  other,  the  undertaking  must 
be  attended  by  some  awmi  calamity  tq  the  globe.  GbservHtlons  made 
under  the  patronage  of  Bolivar,  and  completed  in  1820,  seem  to  show 
that  the  levels  of  the  two  oceans  are  diffbrent ;  but  as  our  ideas  of 
a  canal  no  longer  Imply  a  channel  through  which  the  waters  of  the  one 
sea  should  flow  into  the  other,  the  apprehensions  that  occurred  to  the 
Spanish  historian  have  ceased  to  appal  us.  The  chief  obstacle  is  the 
enormous  expenne ;  for  it  seems  now  to  be  suiBcieiitly  proved  that  either 
a  canal  or  a  railway  is  quite  practicable  (See  Royal  Socletv  1'ransac- 
tiona  for  1830)-,  indeed,  it  is  leported  that  the  construction  or  the  latter 
has  been  determined  on  by  the  government  of  New  Grenada.  A  cut 
was  in  ftct  made  in  1788,  connecting  a  tribuuiry  of  the  San  Juan  with  a 
braiioh  of  the  Quito,  and  thus  opening  a  communication  between  the 
Atlantic  and  the  Pacific,  during  the  rainy  season,  lb  the  canoes  of  tiie 
country,  which  draw  ftom  one  to  two  fbet  of  water* 


v'!.    • 


OF  THE   SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 


59 


I  camo 
&ch  of 
ircum- 
mrpote 
\  sexes^ 
in  wer© 
lir,  and 

ig.  wa» 
I  order, 

;uriositY 

im  with 

their  ca- 

;ey  were 

afforded 

luctions. 

trdens  ;* 

the  ship 

ing  many 

ey  could 

sonsented 

(hed  with 

parted  for 

ter  an  ab- 

Bumey, 
[be  cannot 

a  justice 


omseato 
1  been  often 
■■cusaedin 
1  design  an 
iking  must 
lions  made 
y\  to  show 
ideas  of 
^r  the  one 
Ired  to  the 
Icle  is  the 
Ithat  either 
T  Transac- 
Ithe  latter 
la.    A  cut 
pan  with  a 
jween  the 
loes  of  tlM 


1 


due  to  the  memoiy  of  the  few  of  Loyasa*8  and  Saavedra*s 
men  who  reached  their  native  country,  to  notice  thcin  as  the 
navigators  who  the  second  time  performed  that  tour."* 

Several  voyages  had  in  the  mean  time  been  attempted,  by 
private  adventurers ;  but  they  all  proved  abortive,  and  m  paa< 
«age  by  Magellan's  Straits,  as  well  as  the  schemes  which 
began  to  be  entertained  for  opening  a  communication  through 
the  Isthmus  of  Darien,  was  abandoned,  when,  in  1629,  the 
Emperor  Charles  V.  mortgaged  or  ceded  to  Portugal  his  right 
to  all  the  islands  west  of  the  Ladrones,  for  360,000  ducats 
(108,181i.,  15«.).  The  discoveries  now  opening  in  other 
quarters  likewise  contributed  to  divert  attention  from  this 
point.  The  peninsula  of  California  was  visited  a  few  years 
afterward.  Its  gulf  and  outer  shores  were  examined  by  Cor* 
tes  in  1636 ;  new  settlements  were  also  every  year  rising  in 
Mexico  and  Peru,  which  engrossed  the  cares  of  the  Spanish 
governor ;  and  it  was  not  till  the  year  1642,  that,  forgetting 
^e  cession  to  Portugal,  a  squadron  was  once  more  fitted  out, 
destined  for  the  Archipelago  of  St.  Lazarus.  This  was  the 
work  of  Mendoza,  viceroy  of  Mexico,  and  the  command  was 
intrusted  to  his  brother-in-law,  Ruy  Lopez  de  Villalobos.  He 
discovered  the  Island  of  San  Tomas,  in  latitude  18^  30'  north, 
and  a  cluster,  which  he  named  £1  Coral.  On  the  6th  January, 
1643,  at  36  leagues  from  the  Coral  Isles,  the  fleet  passed  ten 
islands  belonging  to  the  group  of  the  Carolines,  and  probably 
the  same  with  Saavedra's  Gardens.  The  squadron  coasted 
along  Mindanao,  and  on  reaching  Sarrangan,  an  island  near 
the  south  part  of  Mindanao,  resolved  to  establish  in  it  that 
settlement  which  was  the  chief  purpose  of  their  expedition. 
This  the  natives,  though  at  first  hospitable  ar  d  friendly,  stoutly 
opposed ;  but  the  captain-general,  having  already  taken  formal 
possession  of  all  the  islands  for  the  emperor,  determinv'^d  to 
make  good  his  point,  and,  accordingly,  attacking  their  forces, 
compelled  them  to  retreat.  Here  the  Spaniards  raised  their 
first  harvest  of  Indian  com  in  the  Philippines — the  name  now 

?'ven  by  Villalobos  to  the  Archipelago,  in  compUment  to  the 
rince-royal  of  Spain.  The  inhabitants  of  several  islands  in 
a  short  time  became  more  friendly ;  traffic  was  established ; 
and  this  success  once  more  excited  the  jealous  apprehensions 
of  the  Portuguese,  and  induced  them  to  foment  intrigues 

*  Chion.  Hiau  of  Diicov.  in  South  Sea,  vol.  i.,  p  161.  < 


.i:*, 


60 


FROM  MAGELLAN   TO  THE   END 


among  the  native  chiefs  who  favoured  the  different  EaropeatI 
leaders.  In  the  progress  of  events,  the  conduct  of  Villalobos 
was  marked  by  perndy  to  the  allies  he  had  gained,  and  by 
treachery  to  his  sovereign.  In  de£;pite  of  the  remonstrances 
of  his  officers,  he  accepted  unworthy  terms  from  the  Portu- 
guese, and  provided  himself  a  passage  home  in  one  of  their 
ships.  But  his  main  object  was  debated,  for  he  died  at  Am- 
bo3ma  of  sickness  and  chagrin — ^thus  eluding  the  vengeance 
of  the  country  which  he  had  betrayed. 

The  commencement  of  a  new  reign  is  a  period  proverbial 
for  energy  and  activity.  Among  the  first  acts  of  Philip  11. 
was  an  order  issued  to  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico  for  the  final 
conquest  of  the  Philippines.  The  Fray  Andres  de  Urdaneta, 
a  celebrated  cosmographer  and  navigator,  who,  after  sailing 
with  Loyasa,  liad  become  a  monk,  was  requested  to  accom- 
pany an  Expedition  for  this  purpose ;  and  to  him  the  honour 
was  given  of  nominating  the  captain-general,  his  own  profes- 
sion forbidding  him  to  hold  any  secular  rank.  His  choice  fell 
upon  Miguel  Lopez  de  Legaspi,  a  person  of  great  prudence, 
who  sailed  with  four  ships  from  Navidad  in  New  Spain  on  the 
21st  November,  1564.  On  the  9th  January  following  they 
discovered  a  small  island,  which  they  named  De  los  Bajrbudos, 
on  account  of  the  large  beards  of  the  natives,  and  next  morn- 
ing a  circle  of  islets,  which  were  called  De  los  Plazeres,  from 
the  shoals  which  ran  beiAreen  them.  A  similar  group  were 
perceived  on  the  12th,  named  Las  Hermanas,  or  ^nie  Sisters ; 
and  are  supposed  to  be  the  same  v/ith  the  Pescadores  and  Ar- 
recifes  of  modem  charts.  The  squadron  touched  at  the  La- 
drones,  and  without  seeing  other  land  made  the  Philippines, 
where,  according  to  the  sealed  orders  received  from  the  king, 
they  were  to  form  a  settlement.  On  the  13th  of  February 
they  anchored  near  the  east  part  oi  the  Island  Tandaya.  The 
natives  wore  the  semblance  of  friendship ;  and  an  alliance  was 
made  with  the  chiefs,  according  to  the  customs  of  their  coun- 
try, the  parties  drawing  blood  from  their  arms  and  breasts,  and 
mingling  it  with  wine  or  water,  in  which  they  pledged  mutual 
fidelity.*  In  this  ceremony  the  captain-general  declined  to 
join,  alleging  that  there  was  ro  person  on  the  other  side  of 

*  The  classical  reader  will  not  need  to  l)e  reminded  that  Herodotus 
records  similar  customs  as  preTalent  among  the  Scythians  and  other 
nations. 


P  i 


.# 


OF  THB   SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 


61 


Earope«tt 
VillalobOT 
5d,  and  by 
onstrances 
the  Portu- 
le  of  their 
ied  at  Am- 
vengeanne 

proverbial 
f  PhiUp  11. 
>r  the  final 
B  Urdaneta, 
fter  sailing 
,  to  accom- 
the  honour 
own  profes- 
3  choice  fell 
t  prudence, 
Spain  on  the 
owing  they 
IS  Barbudos, 
next  mom- 
izeres,  from 
group  were 
^e  Sisters ; 
wes  and  Ar- 
at  the  La- 
•hilippines, 
>m  the  king, 
of  February 
idaya.     The 
aUiance  was 
their  coun- 
jreasts,  and 
Iged  mutual 
declined  to 
ther  side  of 


tat  Herodotus 
and  other 


sufficient  rank  to  contract  with  him.  The  Indians,  however, 
could  not  be  so  far  insnared  as  to  become  the  dupes  of  Eu- 
ropean policy,  remarking  that  the  Spaniards  gave  "ffood 
words  but  bad  works."  The  fleet  sailed  from  place  to  place, 
but  small  progress  was  made  in  gaining  the  confidence  of  the 
people,  who  were  now  fully  alive  to  the  intentions  of  their 
visiters.  One  station  after  another  was  abandoned,  and 
though  a  good  understanding  was  established  with  the  chief 
of  Bohol,  with  whom  Legaspi  performed  the  ceremony  of 
bleeding,  Zebu  was  at  last  selected  as  the  centre  of  coloni- 
zation. There  the  Spaniards  carried  matters  in  a  higher  tone 
than  they  had  hitherto  assumed.  The  tardiness  of  the  people 
to  acknowledge  the  offered  civiUties  of  the  voyagers  was  used 
as  a  pretext  for  aggression,  and  the  foundation  of  the  first 
Spanish  colony  in  the  Philippines  was  laid  in  the  ashes  of  the 
sacked  capital.  Hostilities  continued  to  be  waged  for  a  time 
between  the  islanders  and  the  invaders  ;  but  at  last  a  peace 
was  concluded.  The  news  of  the  settlement  was  carried 
back  to  America  by  the  Fray  Andres  Urdaneta,  the  pilot-monk, 
who  sailed  on  the  1st  June,  and  on  the  3d  of  October  reached 
Acapulco — an  exploit  highly  extolled  at  the  time,  as  the  pas- 
sage across  the  Pacific  from  west  to  east,  so  necessary  to  fa- 
cilitate the  communication  between  the  Philippines  and  the 
mother-countzy,  had  hitherto  bafiled  every  navigator.  By  fol- 
lowing a  course  to  the  43d  degree  of  north  latitude  fair  winds 
were  obtained ;  and  the  homeward  voyage  long  continued  to 
be  made  to  New  Spain  by  the  same  track,  which  acquired  the 
name  of  Urdaneta's  Passage.  The  occupation  of  Manilla 
soon  followed  that  of  Zebu,  and  it  became  the  insular  capital 
of  the  Spaniards  in  the  eastern  world. 

Geographical  discovery  and  maritime  enterprise  were  now  to 
receive  a  new  spirit  from  that  extraordinary  career  of  conquest 
which,  commenced  by  Heman  Cortes  almost  contempora- 
neously with  the  voyage  of  Magellan,  had  already  extended 
over  the  greater  part  oi  the  western  coast  of  South  America. 
In  the  year  1563,  Juan  Fernandez,  a  Spanish  pilot,  in  the 
passage  from  Peru  to  the  new  establishments  in  Chili,  had 
stood  out  to  sea  in  the  hopes  of  finding  favourable  winds,  and 
in  his  progress  descried  two  islands ;  one  of  which  was  called 
Mas-afuera,  while  the  other  received  the  name  of  its  discov- 
erer, and  has  since  acquired  much  celebrity  as  the  supposed 
scene  of  Defoe's  romance  of  Robinson  Crusoe. 


62 


FROM   MAGELLAN  TO  THE  END 


tn  the  year  1667,  Lopez  Garcia  de  Castro,  the  viceroy  of 
Peru,  titled  out  the  first  expedition  which  sailed  from  that 
country  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  discovery.     He  intrusted 
the  command  to  Alvaro  de  Mendana  de  Neyra,  who  departed 
from  Callao,  the  port  of  Lima,  on  the  10th  of  January.     Hav- 
ing directed  his  progress  westward  a  distance  which  is  va^ 
riously  stated  by  different  writers,  he  reached  a  small  island 
inhabited  by  copper-coloured  savages,  and  named  it  the  Isla 
de  Jesus.     Shortly  after,  he  discovered  a  large  shoal,  which 
he  called  Baxos  de  la  Candelaria  (Candlemas  Shoals),  and 
from  this  descried  an  extensive  land,  for  which  he  set  sail,  and 
anchored  in  a  harbour,  that  received  the  appellation  of  Santa 
Ysabel  de  la  Estrella  (St.  Isabel  of  the  Star).     The  inhab- 
itants were  of  a  bronze  complexion,  had  woolly  hair,  and  wore 
no  covering  save  round  their  waists.     They  were  divided  into 
tribes,  and  engaged  in  continual  warfare  with  one  another. 
They  seemed  to  be  cannibals,  but  their  usual  food  consisted 
of  cocoanuts,  and  a  species  of  root  which  they  called  venaus. 
Having  first,  with  the  characteristic  devotion  of  the  age, 
caused  mass  to  be  celebrated  on  these  new-found  shores, 
Mendana  constructed  a  brig  large  enough  to  carry  thirty  men, 
which  was  despatched  to  explore  the  neighbouring  coasts. 
The  result  was  the  discovery  of  an  archipelago  consisting  of 
eighteen  islands,  some  of  which  were  found  to  be  300  leagues 
in  circumference,  though  of  several  others  no  definite  knowl- 
edge was  obtained.      The  names  of  Santa  Ysabel,  Gua- 
dalcanal, Malaita,  San  Christoval,  and  El  Nombre  de  Dios, 
were  bestowed  on  the  principal  ones ;  while  the  group  re- 
ceived the  general  appellation  of  the  Solomon  Islands,  from  a 
belief  that  they  had  supplied  the  gold  and  treasure  employed 
in  the  building  of  the  Temple.*    The  air  was  extremely  sa- 

*  The  minds  of  the  early  discoverers  iieem  to  have  been  constantly  in 
flamed  by  the  description  of  the  wealth  or  iiolomon,  who  "  made  silver 
to  b«  in  Jeraualem  as  stones,"  and  whose  "  drinking  vessels  were  o 
gold,  and  all  the  vessels  of  the  house  of  tlie  forest  of  I.ebanon  were  ol 
pure  gold :  none  were  of  silver :  it  was  nothing  accounted  of  in  the  days 
of  Solomon."— I  Kings,  x.,  21, 27.    The  land  of  Ophir,  from  which  th< 
navy  of  Hiram  brought  gold  and  "  great  plenty  of  almug-trees,  and  pre 
cious  stones,"  was  the  object  of  continual  search ;  and  Columbus,  among 
bis  other  dreams,  believed  that  he  found  this  source  of  Jewish  splendoui 
in  Hispaniola  and  Veragua.— Ir\'ing's  Columbus,  vol.  iii.,  p.  251,  and  vol 
iv.,  p.  59.    The  true  position  of  Ophir  is  yet  a  questio  vexata  amoni 
geographers.    It  has  been  placed  in  India,  in  Arabia,  in  Aflrica,  and  evei 
in  Peru.   Etymology,  the  nevw-AiiUng  support  of  such  speculationa 


OF  THE    SIXTEENTH  CBKTURT. 


63 


lubrious ;  the  fertile  soil  offered  ample  resources  for  a  dense 
population,  and  the  rivers  washed  down  great  quantities  of 
the  precious  metals.  The  archipelago,  however,  was  not  ex- 
plored without  several  rencounters  taking  place  between  the 
Spaniards  and  the  savages,  who  fought  with  much  valour. 
After  this  rapid  survey,  Mendana  returned  to  Peru  in  the  be* 
ginning  of  March,  1668.  Many  years  passed  ere  any  farther 
knowledge  of  his  discoveries  was  sought ;  and  their  situation 
long  furnished  a  perplexing  theme  for  the  discussion  of  geog- 
n^hers. 

In  the  year  1674,  Juan  Fernandez  visited  two  small  islands 
lying  near  the  continent  of  America,  which  were  named  San 
Felix  and  San  Amber.  About  the  same  period,  a  discovery 
is  ascribed  to  him  of  a  more  doubtful  character.  Sailing 
from  the  coast  of  Chili,  about  the  latitude  of  40^  south,*  he 
is  reported  to  have  reached,  after  a  voyage  of  a  month,  the 
coast  of  a  continent  which  seemed  to  be  very  fertile  and  well 
cultivated.  The  people  were  white,  wore  fine  attire,  and 
were  of  an  amiable  and  peaceful  disposition.  Several  large 
rivers  fell  into  the  sea,  and  altogether  it  *'  appeared  much  better 
and  richer  than  Peru."  This  country  has  been  supposed  by 
some  to  be  New  Zealand ;  others  are  inclined  wholly  to  discred- 
it the  voyage ;  and  the  data  are  certainly  too  meager  to  warrant 
the  identification  of  this  supposed  continent  with  any  of  the 
islands  in  the  Pacific  known  to  geography. 


comes  in  aid  of  tbis  last  bypotbesis  witb  tbe  expression  "  gold  oC  Par* 
valm." 

*  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  learned  Barney  should  have  lessened 
the  value  of  his  important  work  by  the  loose  and  unscholar-like  (hsbion 
of  departing  fk-om  the  words  of  his  author,  even  while  pretending  to  quote 
Uterally.  This  practice  has  led  him  into  numerous  mistakes.  Thus,  in 
relating  the  discovery  of  Fernandez,  be  takes  occasion  to  quote  the 
Memorial  of  Doctor  Juan  Luis  Arias,  published  by  Dalrymple  (Hist. 
Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  53),  as  to  tbe  fbllowing  eflbct :— «*  Arias  says,  *  Tbe  pilot, 
Juan  Fernandex,  sailed  from  the  coast  of  Chili,  a  little  mere  or  less 
than  forty  degrees,  in  a  small  ship,  witb  certain  of  his  companions,* 
dtc."— Chron.  Hist,  of  Discovery,  vol.i.,  p.  300.  But  the  passage,  as  it 
stands  in  Dalrymple,  is  materially  different ;  "  A  pilot,  named  Junn  Fer- 
nandez, who  discovered  the  track  fVom  Lima  to  Chili,  by  going  to  the 
westward  (which  till  then  bad  been  made  witb  much  difficulty,  as  they 
kept  along  shore,  where  the  southerly  winds  almost  constantly  prevail), 
sailing  from  the  coast  of  Chili,  about  the  latitude  of  forty  degrees,  littU 
more  or  less,  in  a  small  ship,  witb  some  of  his  companions,"  &c.— Vol.  i., 
p.  53.  It  will  be  seen  that  Burusy  thus  quotes  Arias  as  specUViiig  Ilie 
Ivngitvjiey  wbile  in  truth  be  only  indicates  the  latitu/db. 


u 


FROM  MAOBLLAN  TO  THE   END 


The  year  1675  saw  the  first  launching  of  a  bark  by  an  Eng- 
lish seaman  in  the  waves  of  the  South  Sea,  a  feat  which  was 
vccompUshed  by  John  Oxenham,  a  native  of  Plymouth.  Laifd- 
ing  on  the  north  side  of  Darien,  he  marched  across  the  neck 
of  land ;  and  having  built  a  small  vessel,  he  intrusted  himself 
to  the  ocean,  and  steered  for  the  Pearl  Islands.  There  he 
captured  two  rich  prizes,  and  returned  with  his  spoil  to  re* 
cross  the  isthmus,  an  attempt  in  which  he  was  slain. 

Unfortunate  as  was  the  issue  of  this  enterprise,  it  did  not 
chill  the  ardour  or  damp  the  courage  of  his  countrymen. 
Within  two  years  was  commenced  the  first  voyage  round  the 
globe  performed  by  the  British,  by  the  renowned  Sir  Francis 
Drake.  When,  from  a  "  goodly  and  great  high  tree"  on  the 
Isthmus  of  Darien,  this  bold  navigator  first  saw  the  South  Sea, 
we  are  told  that  "  he  besought  Almighty  God  of  his  good- 
ness  to  give  him  life  and  leave  to  sail  once  in  an  English  ship 
in  that  sea.'*  Several  years  elapsed  before  this  wish  was 
gratified ;  but  at  length,  on  the  13th  December,  1577,  he  was 
enabled  to  set  sail  from  Plymouth  with  a  fleet  of  five  vessels, 
bearing  164  men.  He  made  the  eastern  inlet  to  the  Straits 
of  Magellan  on  the  20th  of  August,  and  in  17  days  after  en- 
tered the  Pacific.  Here  he  encountered  a  succession  of  stcnrms, 
during  one  of  which  he  was  driven  far  to  the  southward, 
when,  it  is  probable,  he  discovered  Cape  Horn.  "  He  fell 
in,"  says  an  old  nanator,  *'with  the  uttermost  part  of  land 
towards  the  South  Pole ;  which  uttermost  cape  or  headland 
of  all  these  islands,  stands  near  in  the  66th  degree,  without 
which  there  is  no  main  nor  island  to  be  seen  to  the  south- 
ward, but  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and  the  South  Sea  meet  in  a 
large  and  free  scope."  When  the  weather  became  fair  Drake 
stood  to  the  northward,  and  cruised  along  the  coasts  of  Chili, 
Peru,  and  Mexico,  capturing  the  vessels  of  the  Spaniards  and 
plundering  their  towns.  In  the  hope  of  finding  a  northeast 
passage  or  strait,  he  still  continued  his  course,  and  explored  a 
country,  which  he  named  New  Albion,  to  the  48th  degree  of 
north  latitude.  It  was  then  determined  to  run  westward,  and 
return  to  Europe  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  After  sailing 
sixty-eight  days,  he  discovered  some  islands,  to  which  he  gave 
the  name  of  the  Thieves,^  and  which  have  been  conjectured 


*  "  Drake  d^ouvrit  des  lies,  qaMl  nomma  Islands  of  Tkievts,  et  qni 
paroissent  £tre  les  lies  sitn^es  aa  sud  de  Yap.    Elles  porteot  sur  U  carte 


OP  THE  8IXTEENTR  CENTURY. 


to  be  identical  with  some  of  those  called  the  Pelew  in  th« 
Caroline  archipelago.  From  these  he  proceeded  to  the 
Philippines ;  and  after  touching  at  Java  and  other  places,  set 
sail  for  England.  On  the  16th  June,  1680,  he  passed  the 
southern  point  of  Africa,  which,  says  an  old  author,  *'  is  a 
most  stately  thing,  and  the  fairest  cape  we  saw  in  the  whole 
circumference  of  the  earth  ;"*  and  on  the  26th  of  September 
anchored  safely  at  Plymouth,  after  an  absence  of  two  years 
and  nearly  ten  months.  In  geographical  discovery  Diuke's 
voyage  was  barren,  but  it  gave  a  new  spirit  to  the  maritime 
enterprise  of  Britain,  and  brought  wealth  and  fame  to  its 
commander.  Queen  Elizabeth  honoured  him  by  diniiig  on 
board  his  ship,  where  she  also  conferred  the  distinction  of 
knighthood ;  for  many  years  his  vessel  was  preserved  at  Dept- 
ford ;  and  a  chair,  made  from  one  of  her  planks  and  presented 
to  the  University  of  Oxford,  has  been  celebrated  by  the  muse 
of  Cowley,  t 

The  unexpected  appearance  of  Drake  in  the  South  Sea  was 
ft  matter  of  serious  alarm  to  the  Spaniards.  Their  exclusive 
navigation  of  that  ocean  was  now  gone ;  and  instead  of 
gathering  in  peace  the  treasures  which  the  islands  in  its 
bosom,  and  the  opulent  empires  on  its  margin,  might  afford, 
they  perceived  that  henceforth  they  would  have  to  contend 
for  their  riches  with  a  powerful  and  ambitious  enemy.  In 
fact,  they  soon  saw  the  English  successfully  penetrating  the 
Magellanic  Straits — a  channel  so  difficult  as  to  have  given 
rise  to  a  saying,  '^  that  the  passage  had  closed  up.**  It  had, 
indeed,  been  Uttle  frequented  by  the  Spaniards,  who,  it  may 
be  conjectured,  found  a  more  profitable  employment  in  the 
colonization  of  their  recent  conquests.  But  the  havoc  which 
Drake  carried  along  their  coasts  once  more  attracted  their  atten- 
tion to  the  Straits,  and,  in  1679,  Pedro  Sarmiento  de  Gamboa 
was  despatched  from  Lima  to  survey  them,  and  report  ^e  result 
of  his  observations.  In  pursuance  of  his  advice,  it  was  d?* 
termined  to  fit  out  a  powerful  armament,  with  a  deng*.!  of 


No.  7  de  notre  Atlas  bydrographiqae,  le  nom  d'lles  Lamoleao  Ourmt. 
Llle  Yap  est  nommte  aussi  Eap  par  qaelques  auteurs."— Freycinet,  tome 
U.,  p.  n. 

*  Haklayt,  vol.  iii.,  p.  742. 

t  A  copious  narrative  of  the  Life  and  Voyages  of  Drake  has  already 
appeared  in  the  Family  Library,  No.  XXX.  Lives  and  Voyages  of  Drake, 
Cavendish)  and  Damirier. 


i 

66 


FROM   MAGELLAN   TO   THE   END 


fortifying  the  narrows,  and  thus  closing  against  hostile  intru- 
sion what  they  considered  the  only  portal  of  the  Pacific. 
The  fate  of  this  expedition  was  singularly  disastrous ;  nor  was 
it  until  after  making  repeated  attempts  and  sustaining  much 
loss  that  they  effected  an  entrance.  Two  cities  were  founded, 
named  Nombre  de  Jesus  and  San  Felipe,  and  peopled  by  Eu- 
ropeans, who  had  a  supply  of  provisions  for  only  eight  months. 
On  his  voyage  to  Spain,  the  captain  was  taken  prisoner  by 
an  EngUsh  cruiser  belonging  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh.  His 
unfortunate  colony  was  speedily  reduced  to  the  greatest  mis- 
eries ;  no  attempt  was  made  to  send  them  succours  from 
home  ;  and,  being  thus  abandoned  to  want  and  the  frightful 
inclemencies  of  the  weather,  sad  ravages  were  made  among 
them.  Only  two  who  survived  these  dreadful  sufferings  re- 
turned to  their  native  country. 

The  path  to  the  South  Sea  once  laid  open,  no  long  time 
elapsed  ere  it  again  became  the  scene  of  English  adventure. 
In  1586,  Mr.  Thomas  Cavendish,  a  gentleman  of  the  county 
of  Suffolk,  fitted  out,  a*  his  own  expense,  an  expedition  to  the 
Pacific,  and  sailed  from  Plymouth  on  the  21st  July.  He 
reached  the  Straits  of  Magellan  on  the  6th  January  following, 
and  cleared  their  farther  outlet  on  the  24th  of  February.  Like 
Drake,  the  object  he  had  in  view  was  plunder ;  and,  like  that 
navigator,  too,  he  stood  along  the  western  coast  of  America, 
carrying  fire  and  sword  wherever  he  went.  At  length,  in 
November,  glutted  with  spoil,  he  steered  across  the  ocean, 
and  in  January,  1588,  made  the  Ladrone  Islands.  In  the  pas- 
sage homeward  he  touched  at  St.  Helena,  and  first  communi- 
cated to  England  its  capabilities  and  advantages.  He  ar- 
rived at  Plymouth  on  the  9th  September,  having  circumnavi- 
gated the  globe  in  two  years  and  fifty  days,  a  period  shorter 
than  that  required  by  either  of  his^  predecessors. 

The  chief  contribution  which  this  voyage  made  to  geogra- 
phy was  the  discovery  of  Port  Desire  on  the  east  coast  of  Pat- 
agonia. In  a  lucrative  point  of  view  it  was  so  successful, 
that  Cavendish  resolved  to  engage  in  another  expedition  to 
the  same  quarter  of  the  globe.  Accordingly,  he  again  lef^ 
England,  and,  after  a  voyage  of  seven  months,  he  entered  the 
Strait  of  Magellan,  on  the  14th  of  April,  1592.  Dispirited  by 
the  storms  which  he  encountered  there,  he  determined,  on 
the  16th  of  May,  to  retrace  his  course  towards  the  coast  of 
Brazil,  and  soon  afterward  died  on  his  passage  home. 


I 


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g 

r 


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in 
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th 
A 


OF  THE   SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 


67 


e  intro- 
Pacific. 
nor  was 
ig  much 
founded, 
IbyEu- 
montha. 
joner  by 
h.      His 
test  mis- 
urs  from 
frightful 
[e  among 
rings  re- 

ong  time 
dventure. 
16  county 
ion  to  the 
fuly.  He 
following, 
ry.  Like 
,  like  that 

America, 
length,  in 

le  ocean, 
the  pas- 

jommuni- 
He  ar- 

kumnavi- 
|d  shorter 

0  geogra- 
Bt  of  Pat- 
[iccessful, 
edition  to 
jain  left 
Ltered  the 
])irited  by 
[lined,  on 
coast  of 


.  The  voyage,  though  its  results  were  not  very  gratifymg, 
was  marked  by  an  incident  of  some  importance.  After  re- 
passing the  Straits,  one  of  the  vessels,  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Davis,  was  separated  from  the  squadron,  and  having 
met  with  adverse  gales,  was  *'  driven  in  among  certaine  Isles 
never  before  discovered  by  any  knowen  relation,  lying  fiftie 
leagues  or  better  from  the  shoare,  east  and  northerly  from  the 
Streights,  in  which  place,  unlesse  it  had  pleased  God  of  his 
wonderfull  mercie  to  have  ceased  the  winde,  wee  must  of  ne- 
cessitie  have  perished."*  On  this  group  he  seems  to  have 
bestowed  no  name  ;  but  they  are  now  known  by  the  designa^ 
tion  of  the  Falkland  Islands.f  After  this  occurrence  Davis 
succeeded  in  reaching  the  South  Sea ;  but,  returning  almost 
immediately,  his  ship  eventually  arrived  at  Bearhaven  in  Ire- 
land, in  June,  1593,  with  only  sixteen  persons  remaining 
of  seventy-six  'who  left  England.  Of  the  expeditions  now 
briefly  noticed,  which  constitute  so  important  an  era  in  the 
naval  histoi^^  of  this  country,  and  abound  with  spirit-stirring 
adventures,  a  copious  narrative  has  been  given  in  a  preceding 
volume  of  the  Edinburgh  Cabinet  Library,  j: 

We  have  shortly  to  mention  yet  another  expedition  fitted 
out  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth.  This  was  undertaken  by  Sir 
Richard  Hawkins,  who  sailed  from  Plymouth  on  the  12th  of 
June,  1593.  In  his  passage  towards  the  Strait,  he  observed 
the  islands  formerly  seen  by  Davis,  though  he  appears  to  have 
considered  them  as  altogether  unknown.  "The  land,"  he 
says,  "  for  that  it  was  discovered  in  the  reigne  of  Queene 
Elizabeth,  my  souereigne  lady  and  mistris,  and  a  mayden 
queene,  and  at  my  cost  and  aduenture,  in  a  perpetuall  mem- 
ory of  her  chastitie,  and  remembrance  of  my  endevours,  I 
gave  it  the  name  of  Hawkins'  Maiden-land."^  Sir  Richard 
reached  the  South  Sea,  and  began  to  follow  the  example  of 

♦  Hakluyt,  vol.  lil.,  p.  846. 

t  Burney  seems  to  have  been  among  the  flrat  to  vindicate  Davis's 
claim  to  the  discoyery  of  this  group,  which  it  was  supposed  was  fbr< 
merly  seen  by  Sir  Richard  Hawliina.— Chron.  Hist.  Discov ,  vol.  11.,  p. 
103. 

t  Lives  and  Voyages  of  Drake,  Cavendish,  and  Dampier.  For  a  (lir- 
ther  account  of  Davis,  one  of  England's  most  intrepid  seamen,  who,  hav- 
ing effected  discoveries  in  the  extreme  resions  of  the  north  and  the  south 
which  have  immortalized  his  name,  was  doomed  to  perish  in  a  quarrel  in 
the  East  Indies,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Narrative  of  Discovery  and 
Adventure  in  the  Polar  Seas  and  Regions. 

$  Furcbas,  vol.  Iv.,  p.  1394. 


<t 


>i 


68 


FROM    MAGELLAN   TO   THE   END 


( 


his  more  illustrious  predecessors,  Drake  and  Cavendish ;  bat 
his  fortune  proved  very  different.  On  the  22d  of  June,  1594, 
his  ship  was  captured  near  Cape  de  San  Francisco,  and  car- 
ried into  Panama,  in  honour  of  which  event  that  city  was  il- 
luminated. 

This  was  the  last  voyage  in  the  Pacific  made  by  Eng- 
lish navigators  for  many  years.  The  course  of  our  narra- 
tive accordingly  turns  again  to  the  expeditions  of  the  Span- 
iards. 

In  1594,  Philip  II.,  in  a  letter  to  the  Viceroy  of  Peru,  rec- 
onunended  "  the  encouragement  of  enterprises  for  new  dis- 
coveries and  settlements,  as  the  best  means  to  disembarrass 
the  land  from  many  idle  gentry ;"  and,  in  compliance  with 
this  suggestion,  an  armament  was  prepared  next  year  to  effect 
a  settleme9t  in  the  Island  of  San  Chnstoval,  one  of  the  Solo- 
mon archipelago,  visited,  as  has  been  already  narrated,  in 
1567.  The  fleet  consisted  of  four  vessels  supplied  with  378 
men,  of  whom  280  were  soldiers ;  it  was  commanded  by  Al- 
varo  de  Mendana,  by  whom  the  islands  had  been  discovered, 
under  the  title  of  Adelantado,  and  the  chief  pilot  was  Pedro 
Fernandez  de  Quiros — a  name  which  afterward  became  fa- 
mous in  the  annals  of  nautical  adventure.  The  adelantado 
was  accompanied  by  his  wife,  the  Donna  Ysabel  Berreto,  and, 
as  was  usual  in  those  days,  a  certain  number  of  priests  sailed 
on  board  the  armada. 

On  the  16th  of  June,  1596,  Mendana,  leaving  Payta,  pursued 
a  course  nearly  due  west  uiitil  the  21st  July,  when  he  was  in 
latitude  10°  50'  S.,  and,  by  the  reckoning  of  Quiros,  1000 
leagues  distant  from  Lima.  On  that  day  an  island  was  dis- 
covered and  named  La  Madalena ;  and  the  adelantado  believ- 
ing it  to  be  the  land  he  sought,  there  was  much  rejoicing 
amon^  the  crew,  and  Te  Deum  laudamus  was  sung  with  great 
devotion.  Next  day,  when  they  drew  near  the  shore,  there 
sallied  forth  in  rude  procession  about  seventy  canoes,  and  at 
the  same  time  many  of  the  inhabitants  made  towards  the  ships 
by  swimming.  They  were  in  complexion  nearly  white,  of  good 
stature,  and  finely  formed ;  and  on  their  faces  and  bodies  were 
delineated  representations  of  fishes  and  other  devices.  The 
Spanish  chroniclers  extol  the  gentle  manners  and  the  beauty 
of  these  natives  very  highly.     "  There  came,"  says  Figueroa,* 


•  <i 


Hsehoa  de  Don  Garcia  Hartado  de  Mendoza  Quarto  Marques  de 


OF  THE   SIXTEENTH    CENTURY. 


69 


"among  others,  two  lads  paddling  their  canoe,  whose  eyes 
were  fixed  on  the  ship;  they  had  beautiful  faces,  and  the 
most  promising  animation  of  countenance ;  and  were  in  all 
things  so  becoming,  that  the  pilot-mayor  (Quiros)  affirmed 
nothmg  in  his  life  ever  caused  him  so  much  regret  as  the 
leaving  such  fine  creatures  to  be  lost  in  that  country."  Short 
as  was  the  intercourse  which  the  Spaniards  had  with  these 
gentle  savages,  it  was  marked  by  bloodshed  and  violence. 
When  Mendana  had  passed  the  south  end  of  La  Madalena, 
he  descried  three  other  islands,  and  this  circumstance  for  the 
first  time  convinced  him  that  he  was  not  among  the  Solomon 
group.  He  named  these  newly-discovered  ones  La  Dominica, 
Santa  Christina,  and  San  Pedro,  and  gave  to  the  whole  clus- 
ter the  title  of  Las  Marquesas  de  Mendoza.  A  spacious  har- 
bour was  soon  observed  in  Santa  Christba,  and  named  Port 
Madre  de  Dios ;  and  the  fleet  having  been  safely  anchored, 
the  adelantado  and  the  Lady  Ysabel  landed.  On  this  occa^ 
sion  mass  was  performed  with  much  ceremony,  the  natives 
standing  silently  by,  kneeling  when  the  strangers  knelt,  and 
endeavouring  generally  to  imitate  their  gestures.  Prayers 
were  then  said,  and  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  Spain  posses- 
sion was  taken  of  the  islands — a  formality  which  was  com- 
pleted by  the  sowing  of  some  maize.  A  large  party  of  sol- 
diers being  left  on  shore,  soon  fell  into  hostilities  with  the  na- 
tives, drove  them  from  their  houses,  and  hunted  them  with 
•laughter  into  the  woods. 

At  length,  on  the  6th  of  August,  the  adelantado  set  sail 
from  Las  Marquesas — assuring  the  crews,  that  on  the  third  or 
fourth  day  they  would  reach  the  Solomons.  More  than  a  fort- 
night passed,  however,  and  no  land  was  seen,  till  on  the  SOth 
they  discovered  four  small  and  low  islands  with  sandy  beaches, 
and  covered  with  palms  and  other  trees.  These  were  named 
San  Bernardo,  and  a  similar  one,  descried  nine  days  after, 
was,  from  its  lonely  situation,  called  La  Solitaria.  It  has  been 
conjectured  to  be  identical  with  one  of  the  Desventuradas  of 

Canute,  por  EI  Doctor  Christoval  Suarez  de  Figoeroa.  Madrid,  1613." 
An  almoet  literal  translation  of  so  mucb  of  tbls  work  as  relates  to  Men- 
dana'8  voyage  will  be  found  in  Dalrymple^s  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  57-04, 
and  185-203.  This  translation  taas  been  used  in  tbe  present  account. 
There  has  been  preserved  another  narrative  of  the  voyage  in  a  letter 
written  by  Pedro  Fernandez  Quiros,  the  piIol>mayor,  to  Don  Antonio 
Merga,  and  published  by  him  in  "  Sucesoa  de  las  Phiiipinas.  Mexico, 
1609.''   This  Is  also  to  be  found  in  Dalrymple's  excellent  work. 


70 


FROM  MAGELLAN  TO  THE   END 


Magellan.*  The  ships  passed  on,  pursuing  the  same  course, 
but  discontent  and  disappointment  soon  broke  out  on  board. 
Of  the  land,  long  since  predicted  by  the  adelantado  as  near  at 
hand,  no  signs  had  yet  appeared  ;  and  some  of  the  crew  scru- 
pled not  to  say  that  they  were  going  no  cne  knew  whither. 
Amid  these  murmurs  of  dissatisfaction,  Mendana,  we  are  told^ 
went  about  with  a  rosary  ever  in  his  hand,  wearing  an  air  (^ 
devotion,  and  severely  reprehending  all  profaneness  of  speech. 
On  the  night  of  the  7th  September,  land  was  at  lengUi  per- 
ceived ;  and  on  that  same  night  one  of  the  vessels  disappeared 
and  was  no  more  seen.  At  sunrise  the  land  yras  ascertained 
to  be  an  island  of  large  extent ;  and  was  forthwith  named 
Santa  Cruz.  Another  was  seen  to  the  northward,  on  which 
there  was  a  volcano  in  great  activity.  When  first  observed, 
it  had  a  regularly-formed  peak  ;  but  this  was  destroyed  a  few 
days  after  oy  an  eruption  of  such  violence  as  to  be  felt  on 
board  the  smps,  though  at  the  distance  of  ten  leagues.  The 
natives  were  immediately  recognised  by  Mendana  as  of  a  kin- 
dred race  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  Solomons,  yet  they  ap- 
peared to  speak  a  different  language.  Their  hair  was  woolly, 
and  frequently  stained  white,  red,  and  other  colours  ;  they  had 
ornaments  of  bone  or  teeth  round  their  necks,  and  used  bows 
and  arrows.  Their  warlike  disposition  was  evinced  by  their 
commencing  an  attack  on  the  Spaniards.  This  was,  indeed, 
quickly  repelled ;  but  the  ferocity  of  the  savages  and  the  cru- 
elty (rf  the  voyagers  kept  up  a  continued  warfare  during  their 
stay.  The  adelantado  at  length  determined  to  form  a  settle- 
ment on  the  margin  of  a  bay,  which,  from  its  goodly  aspect, 
was  named  La  Graciosa.  The  ground  was  soon  cleared,  and 
several  houses  built.  Sedition  and  mutiny,  however,  now 
made  their  appearance,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to  punish 
three  of  the  conspirators  with  dea^.  The  inhumanity  of  his 
people  towards  the  natives  reached  at  the  same  time  a  height 
altogether  unprecedented.  A  chief,  Malipe,  whom  Quiros 
calls  "  our  greatest  friend  and  lord  of  the  island,"  was  mur- 
dered by  some  of  the  crew,  apparently  vdthout  the  slightest 
cause  or  pretext ;  though,  to  the  honour  of  Mendana,  it  uiould 
be  mentioned,  that  he  inflicted  death  on  the  perpetrators  of  this 
cruel  outrage.  But  this  was  among  the  last  of  his  acts,  dis- 
ease and  care  having  ahready  reduced  him  to  the  utmost  ex* 


*  Bumey,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.ii.,  p.  173. 


OF   THB    SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 


71 


I 


tremity.  On  the  17th  of  October,  which  was  marked  by  a 
total  eclipse  of  the  moon,  he  made  his  will,  leaving  his  author- 
ity to  his  wife,  Donna  Ysabel,  and  constituting  her  brother, 
Don  Lorenzo  Berreto,  captain-general  under  her.  He  was  so 
weak  that  he  could  scarcely  subscribe  his  name  to  this  docu- 
ment, and  he  only  survived  till  midnight.  His  character  may 
be  given  in  the  words  of  Figueroa  :  "  He  was  known  to  bo 
very  eager  to  accomplish  whatever  he  put  hand  to  ;  he  was 
zealous  for  the  honour  of  God  and  the  service  of  the  king  ;  of 
high  mind,  which  had  engaged  him  in  the  former  voyages  and 
discoveries ;  good  actions  gave  him  pleasure,  and  he  detested 
bad ;  he  was  very  courteous  and  sweet-tempered  ;  not  too  apt 
to  give  reasons,  and  therefore  not  desirous  of  them  ;  more  so- 
licitous of  works  than  words.  He  appeared  to  be  well  in  re- 
gard to  his  own  conscience.  He  never  passed  for  high,  so 
that  it  was  the  opinion  that  he  knew  more  than  he  performed."* 
The  melancholy  rites  of  burial  were  celebrated  with  suitable 
pomp.  The  coffin  was  borne  on  the  shoulders  of  eight  offi- 
cers, and  the  soldiers  marched  with  muskets  reversed,  and 
dragging  their  colours  in  the  dust. 

Shortly  after,  the  new  captain-general  was  wounded  in  a 
skirmish  with  the  natives,  and  died  on  the  2d  November.  The 
vicar  soon  followed  him — "  a  loss,"  says  Figueroa,  ''  such  as 
the  sins  of  these  unfortunate  pilgrims  deserved  ;  it  served  as 
a  stroke  to  tell  them  they  were  displeasing  to  God,  when,  after 
80  many  corporeal  afflictions,  he  took  from  them  their  spiritual 
comfort."  Continued  misfortunes  had  now  reduced  the  settle- 
ment to  a  state  so  helpless  that  twenty  determined  savages 
could  have  destroyed  it  without  danger  ;  and  the  Donna  Ysa- 
bel, bereft  of  her  husband  and  brother,  and  discouraged  by  so 
many  evils,  resolved  to  abandon  the  projected  colony.  Hav- 
ing accordingly  embarked  all  the  settlers,  and  taken  on  board 

*  Bomey  seems  to  have  been  disposed  to  look  only  on  the  dark  side  of 
Mendana'8  character .  "  His  merits,'*  it  is  observed,  "  as  a  navigator,  or 
as  a  commander,  have  not  contributed  towards  rendering  him  conspicu- 
ous ;  and  it  it  remarked  inFigv/troa  that  hisdecUh  was  lamented ottht 
by  hi»  relations  and  his  favourites.'"— Chron.  Hiat.  Discov.,  vol.  ii.,  p. 
162.  This  certainly  is  not  a  fair  representation  of  Figueroa's  statement, 
which  runs  thus:  *'The  governess  and  her  flriends  were  much  afibcted 
by  his  death,  others  were  glad  of  it.  It  is  to  be  supposed  these  were  the 
worst  people  in  the  company,  to  whom  his  goodness  gave  qffence ;  for  it 
is  impossible  for  one  who  lives  in  dread  to  love  that  which  occasions  his 
fear ;  and  particularly  when  the  wicked  have  the  good  to  Judge  of  their 
evil  works."— Dalrymple,  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  ItfO. 


'        •^:« 


72 


FROM  MAGELLAN   TO   THE   END 


the  corpse  of  the  adelantado,  the  three  vessels  which  now  com- 
posed the  fleet  set  sail  on  the  18th  of  Novemher,  after  a  stay 
at  Santa  Cruz  of  two  months  and  eight  days. 

It  was  intended  to  seek  the  I^and  of  San  Christoval; 
"  but,"  says  Quiros,  "  when  we  continued  on  the  course  two 
days  and  saw  nothing,  on  the  petition  of  all  the  people,  who 
spoke  aloud,  the  governess  commanded  me  to  take  the  route 
for  the  city  of  Manilla."  In  their  voyage  thither,  an  island 
was  discovered  about  thirty  leagues  in  circuit,  and  clothed 
with  trees  and  herbage.  No  name  seems  at  that  time  to 
have  been  assigned  to  it,  and  though  its  position  is  very  im- 
perfectly indicated,  it  may  be  conjectured  to  be  one  of  the 
Carolines.*  Two  of  the  vessels  reached  the  Philippines 
after  much  privation ;  the  third  was  found  stranded  on  the 
coast  with  all  her  sails  set,  but  her  people  were  dead.f 

Shortly  after  this  disastrous  expedition,  the  Spaniards  were 
alarmed  by  the  appearance  of  a  new  foe  in  the  ocean  which 
they  had  fever  regarded  as  their  own.  This  unexpected  ene- 
my was  the  Dutch,  who,  fired  alike  by  hatred  of  the  nation 
which  had  so  long  oppressed  them,  and  stimulated  by  hopes  of 
gain,  determined  to  carry  the  hostilities,  hitherto  confined  to 
the  plains  of  the  Low  Countries,  far  beyond  the  bounds  oi 
Europe,  and  to  attack  the  possessions  of  their  former  tyrants 
in  India  and  the  South  Seas. 

In  June,  1598,  five  vessels  left  Holland  for  the  purpose  of 
sailing  to  the  East  Indies  by  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  and 
cruising  against  the  Spaniards  on  the  coasts  of  Chili  and  Peru. 
On  the  6tn  of  the  following'  April,  they  entered  the  Straits ; 
but  in  consequence  of  some  unforeseen  difficulties,  they  were 
obliged  to  winter  in  Green  Bay,  where  they  suffered  much 
from  cold  and  want,  many  of  the  men  dying  of  hunger.  They 
had  also  repeated  conflicts  with  the  natives,  who  are  described 
as  being  of  formidable  stature,  with  red  bodies  and  long  hair, 
and  animated  with  such  implacable  hatred  against  the  Dutch, 
that  they  tore  from  their  graves  the  bodies  of  some  sailors, 
which  they  mangled  or  altogether  removed.    On  the  3d  of 

*  It  is  thus  noticed  by  M.  de  Freycinet,  apparently  on  tbe  authority  ot 
Texeira :— "  En  1595,  Quiros,  successeur  de  Mendana,  flt  la  dicouverte 
de  lile  Hogoleu,  qui  d'abord  regut  des  Espagnols  le  nom  de  Quirosa,  puis 
celul  de  Torres,  d'un  capitaine  de  cette  nation."— Voyage  autonr  da 
Monde.    Historijaue,  tome  ii.,  p.  77. 

t  Dalrymple,  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  58,  note.     -    .    —  ?  ^  ^^*  ^^  - 


1 


^ 


at   TH£    SIXTEENTH   CENTURV. 


73 


1  now  com* 
fter  a  stay 

^hristoyal ; 
;ourae  two 
eople,  who 
B  the  route 
,  an  island 
nd  clothed 
At  time  to 
is  very  im- 
one  of  the 
Philippines 
ied  on  the 
ad.t 

liards  were 
icean  which 
jected  ene- 

the  nation 
by  hopes  of 
confined  to 

bounds  of 
mer  tyrants 

purpose  of 

jellan,  and 

li  and  Peru. 

le  Straits ; 

they  were 

lered  much 

rer.    They 

described 

long  hair, 

the  Dutch, 

Le  sailors, 

Ithe  3d  of 


[authority  of 
d£couverte 
liroaa,  paia 
aatour  da 


September,  the  squadron  reached  the  South  Sea,  but  was  soon 
dispersed  in  a  storm,  and  never  again  met.  Sibald  de  Weert 
repassed  the  Straits,  and,  after  seeing  some  of  the  islands 
discovered  by  Davis,  and  which  now  received  the  name  of 
Sibald  de  Weert,  brought  home  to  the  Maes,  in  July,  1600, 
the  only  ship  that  returned  to  Holland.  Dirck  Gherritz,  in 
the  yacht  commanded  by  him,  was  driven  to  64°  south  lati- 
tude, where  he  got  sight  of  land,  supposed  to  be  the  South 
Shetland  Isles.*  An  Englishman>_named,!Williain-Adaiy|8, 
actedagrchiflLjMlQLiflJhe^flfipdiQii^And  the  vc*""!  m  h^hj^Ii 
^'^^'"Jlflti  atfl^tl  gyST  *lft  th^- *'r"*^*^  flf  Jgyy^-atafira'  tl^gYjyerej 
detained.,  butkjpdly]treated.  Adams  built  two  ships  for  the" 
empmr,  aiioEecame  so  great  a  favourite,  that  he  granted 
him  a  living  *'  like  unto  a  lordship  in  England,  with  eightie  or 
ninetie  husbandmen"  for  servants;  but  he  failed  to  obtain 
permission  to  return  home,  though  he  greatly  desired  to  "  see 
his  poore  wife  and  children,  according  to  conscience  and  na- 
ture.^t  Finding  that  he  could  not  prevail  for  himself,  he  in 
terceded  for  his  companions,  who,  being  allowed  to  depart, 
joined  a  Dutch  fleet  under  General  Matelief.  Their  captain 
was  killed  in  an  engagement  with  the  Portuguese  off  Malacca, 
after  which  all  trace  of  them  is  lost.  News  of  the  death  of 
Adams,  at  Firando  in  Japan,  was  brought  to  England  in, 
1621. 

Almost  contemporaneously  with  this  expedition,  some 
Dutch  merchants  fitted  out  four  ships  under  Olivier  Van 
Noort,  who  sailed  from  Goree  on  the  13th  September,  1598, 
with  objects  similar  to  those  contemplated  by  De  Weert.  A 
voyage  of  a  year  and  seven  days  brought  them  to  Port  Desire, 
where  they  careened  their  three  vessels,  having  previously 
burnt  one  as  unserviceable ;  and,  according  to  Purchas,  they 
took  in  this  place  penguins,  to  the  number  of  "  60,000,  being 
as  bigge  as  geese,  with  egges  innumerable,  which  proved  very 
refresUng  to  the  diseased.''^  Some  natives  being  observed 
on  the  north  shore,  the  general  landed  with  twenty  men,  and 
as  the  savages  had  disappeared  they  proceeded  into  the  country. 
Five  sailors  left  in  charge  of  the  boats  streggled  to  some  dis" 

*  This  fact  seems  to  hav«  been  little  regarded,  anJ  d'^es  not  affect  thcf 
merit  of  Captain  Smith's  diaooyery  in  1818. 

t  "  William  Adams—bis  Voy  ve  by  the  Magellan  Straits  to  Japan^ 
written  in  two  letters  by  biroselfo/'—Purchao,  vol.  i ,  p.  128. 

1  Purchas,  vol.  i.,  p.  78. 

G 


0 


74 


FROM   MAOBLLAN   TO   THE   END 


tance;  upon  which  about  thirty  Patagonians,  tall,  fierce^ 
tawny,  and  *'  painted  to  the  degree  of  terror,"  attacked  them, 
murdered  three,  and  wounded  another  with  an  arrow.  By 
the  time  the  general  and  his  party  returned,  the  assailants  had 
all  fled,  and  none  were  again  seen  near  the  place.  After 
entering  the  Straits,  the  ships  were  approached  from  the 
south  coast  by  a  single  man,  wno  was  pursued  and  ineffectual- 
ly fired  at.  A  more  convenient  opportunity,  as  the  Dutch- 
men conceived,  for  revenging  the  death  of  their  three  comrades 
occurred  at  the  smaller  of  the  Penguin  Islands.  As  the  boats 
neared  the  land,  about  forty  natives,  thinking  they  came  in 
search  of  the  birds  which  abound  there,  threw  some  from  the 
top  of  a  cliff,  made  signs  for  them  not  to  land,  and  discharged 
arrows  when  these  intimations  were  disregarded.  The  Hol- 
landers vfexe  not  slow  to  retaliate  with  musketry  ;  which  soon 
drove  the  savages  from  the  rock.  I'hey  again  rallied,  how- 
ever, on  the  side  of  a  hill  at  the  mouth  of  a  cavern,  and 
fought  with  the  utmost  determination  until  the  destructive  fire 
of  the  Dutch  left  not  ono  man  alive.  In  the  interior  of  the 
grotto  were  found  huddled  together  the  women  and  children  ; 
mothers  had  placed  their  own  bodies  as  a  protection  before 
their  offspring,  and  many  of  both  were  wounded.  The  inva- 
ders committed  no  further  outrage,  except  carrying  off  four 
boys  and  two  girls.  One  of  the  former  having  been  taught  to 
speak  Dutch,  afterward  informed  his  captors  tnat  they  had  ex- 
terminated the  males  of  a  whole  tribe — a  deed  which,  as  it  is 
related  without  any  expressions  of  regret  or  pity,  was  proba- 
bly never  regarded  by  the  perpetrators  as  being  in  the  least 
more  atrocious  than  if  they  had  cut  down  so  many  trees  for 
the  use  of  their  squadron.  Sibald  de  Weert's  ship  was  seen 
in  the  Straits,  and  that  commander  made  a  request  to  be  sup- 
plied with  some  biscuit ;  but  his  cbuntryman  coolly  answered, 
that  he  had  no  more  than  was  sufiicient  for  his  own  use,  and 
if  he  should  exhaust  his  stores,  this  was  not  a  part  of  the 
world  where  bread  could  be  purchased. 

Along  the  west  coast  of  South  America  some  prizes  of  lit- 
tle consequence  were  made,  and  when  near  the  equator  they 
stood  across  towards  the  Philippines.  At  Guahan,  in  the  La- 
drones,  about  200  canoes  came  off  to  barter,  the  people  in 
them  shouting,  "  Hierro,  hicrro !"  (iron,  iron  !)  and  in  their 
eagerness'  oversetting  each  other*s  boats — a  catastrophe  which 
occasioned  much  confusion,  but  no  loss  of  life,  as  they  were 


if' 


OF  THE    SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 


76 


all  expert  swimmers.  The  Dutch  did  not  find  them  honourable 
in  their  transactions,  as  they  covered  baskets  of  shells  with  a 
thin  layer  of  rice  at  top,  and,  if  they  had  an  opportunity, 
pulled  a  sword  from  the  scabbard,  and  leaping  into  the  sea, 
eluded,  by  diving,  the  bullets  of  the  enraged  owners.  The 
women  were  no  less  expert  in  such  exercises  than  the  men, 
as  was  ascertained  by  dropping  bits  of  iron,  which  they  fetched 
up  from  the  bottom.  Thence  Van  Noort  proceeded  in  a 
leisurely  manner,  capturing  trading  vessels,  burning  villages, 
and  carrying  off  provisions  as  occasion  served.  His  force  was 
now  reduced  to  two  ships,  the  Mauritius  and  Eendracht.  He 
learned  from  some  Chinese  that  the  capital  of  the  Spanish  set- 
tlements was  well  fortified,  and  the  harbour  sufficiently  pro- 
tected. He  therefore  anchored  off  the  entrance  of  the  bay, 
to  intercept  the  craft  bound  thither.  After  some  time,  the 
colonists  sailed  out  to  attack  them ;  when  their  admiral,  De 
Morga,  confident  in  a  large  superiority  of  numbers,  ran  di- 
rectly aboard  of  the  Mauritius,  and,  getting  possession  of  the 
deck,  pulled  down  the  flag.  The  Hollanders,  however,  con- 
tinued to  fight,  though  in  a  skulking  manner,  when  Van  Noort, 
tired  of  this  tedious  and  ineffectual  warfare,  told  his  men,  that 
if  they  did  not  come  out  and  encounter  the  enemy  more 
vigorously,  he  would  set  fire  to  the  magazine  and  blow  up  the 
ship.  They  did  so  accordingly,  and  drove  the  Spaniards  back 
into  their  own  vessel,  which,  having  been  damaged  in  board- 
ing, soon  after  went  down.  Most  of  the  seamen  were  saved 
by  the  country  boats  ;  but  numbers  also  were  shot,  knocked 
on  the  head,  or  killed  with  pikes  by  the  Dutch,  who  refused 
quarter.  The  Eendracht,  seeing  the  colours  of  the  Mauritius 
lowered,  and  thinking  the  captain-general  had  surrendered, 
took  to  flight,  but  was  pursued  and  captured  ;  upon  which  the 
prisoners,  being  conveyed  to  Manilla,  were  immediately  exe- 
cuted as  pirates.  "Without  any  further  adventure  of  conse- 
quence, and  having  added  nothing  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
South  Sea,  Van  Noort  brought  his  ship  to  anchor  before  the 
city  of  Amsterdam  on  the  26th  of  August,  1601. 

This  was  the  first  circumnavigation  performed  by  the  Dutch, 
and  was  remarkable  for  the  rigour  with  which  discipline  was 
enforced.  In  many  of  the  Spanish  expeditions  mutinies  broke 
out  which  could  not  be  subdued  without  the  sacrifice  of  sev- 
eral lives ;  but  here,  although  a  spirit  of  insubordination 
was  repeatedly  displayed,  it  seems  to  have  been  uniformly 


T  ' 


76 


FROM   MAGELLAN  TO   THE   END 


1^ 


checked  before  spreading  to  any  considerable  extent.  Indi« 
viduals  who  had  been  found  guilty  were  put  ashore  at  various 
points ;  and,  among  others,  the  second  in  command  was  left 
in  Patagonia  with  a  little  bread  and  wine.  Every  thing  of 
this  nature  was  done  with  the  sanction  of  a  council  of  war/ 
whose  sentences  were  occasionally  marked  by  no  little  sever- 
ity :  in  one  case  they  caused  a  seaman's  hand  to  be  pinned  to 
the  mast  with  a  knife,  where  ho  was  condemned  to  ^remain 
till  he  could  release  himself  by  slitting  it  open.  This  cruel 
punishment  was  formerly  usual  in  cases  whero  an  assault 
had  been  committed  upon  the  pilot  or  commander. 

The  voyage  of  Van  Noort  closes  the  long  list  of  enterprises 
made  in  the  sixteenth  century ;  and,  before  passing  on  to  the 
events  of  the  seventeenth,  it  may  not  be  improper  briefly  to 
glance  at  the  progress  of  discovery  among  the  islands  and 
along  the  ooasts  of  the  South  Sea  since  the  time  when  Vasco 
Nunez,  from  the  mountain-peak  of  Darien,  beheld  "  below 
him  extended  a  vast  chaos  of  rock  and  forest,  and  green  sa- 
vannas and  wandering  streams,  while  at  a  distance  the  waters 
of  the  promised  ocean  glittered  in  the  morning  sun.^f 

The  continent  of  America,  constituting  the  western  boundary 
of  this  vast  ocean,  had  already  been  explored  from  the  white 

"■  Burney  (Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  209)  says,  it  does  not  ap- 
pear wbocnmposed  this  tribunal ;  but  theoriginnl  account  or  the  voyage 
mentions  that  the  "  council  of  war"  gave  a  judgment  which  it  also  at- 
tributes to  the  "  general  and  his  officers."  This  makes  it  sufficiently 
plain  of  whom  the  council  in  a  Dutch  fleet  consisted ;  and  further,  one 
of  the  letters uf  William  Adams  states,  that  all  the  pilots  in  the  squadron 
expreraed  in  the  council  an  opinion  which  so  displeased  the  captains  that 
they  excluded  them  for  the  ftiture  (torn  their  aeliberations.— Purchas, 
vol.  i.,  p.  129. 

t  Voyages  of  the  Companions  of  Columbus,  p.  173.  Washington  Ir- 
ving has  described  this  event, ''  one  of  the  most  beautiAiI  and  striking 
incidents  in  the  history  of  the  New  World,"  with  even  more  than  his 
usual  elegance.  It  is  in  itself  so  picturesque  as  to  be  barely  susceptible 
pf  Airther  embellishment  flrom  poetry,  though  Mr.  Irving  considers  that 
the  fate  of  Niinez  "  might  flimish  a  theme  of  wonderAil  interest  for  a 
poem  or  a  drama."  liis  great  discovery  has  been  happily  alluded  to  in 
a  beautiful  sonnet  by  a  young  poet,  who,  however,  has  confounded  him 
with  the  conqueror  of  Mexico : — 

«  Then  felt  I  like  some  watcher  of  the  skies 
When  a  new  planet  swims  into  his  ken, 
Or  like  stout  Cortex,  when  with  eagle  eyes 
He  stared  at  the  Pacific,  and  all  his  men 
Looked  at  each  other  with  a  wild  surmise,       /i^    |{.v^ 
?■;<  ,         ^ilept,  HpQn  a  peak  in  parien,"  .   ?V- 


OF   THE    SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 


77 


cliffs  of  New  Albion,  in  48^'  north  latitude,  to  Cape  Pilaroi 
on  Tierra  del  Fuego,  in  64°  south.  Some  imperfect  knowl- 
edge had  been  obtained  of  lands  even  still  farther  south: 
Drake  had  seen  the  promontory  which  afterward  received  the 
dreaded  name  of  Cape  Horn,  and  the  Dutch  had  descried  the 
bleak  islands  now  called  New  South  Shetland.  Magellan  had 
laid  open  the  strait  which  bears  his  name,  and  was  then 
looked  on  as  the  only  entrance  from  the  Atlantic  into  the 
South  Sea.  Along  the  coast  had  been  discovered  several  isl- 
ands,  the  principal  of  which  were  Chiloe,  Mocha,  Mas-afuera, 
Juan  Fernandez,  San  Felix,  San  Amber  or  Ambrosio,  Lobos, 
Los  Galapagos,  Cocos,  San  Tomas,  and  the  Pearl  Islands. 
The  eastern  boundary  of  the  South  Sea  was  less  accurately 
known.  Yet  on  that  side  the  Japan  Islands,  Formosa,  the 
Philippines  or  A^rchipelago  of  St.  Lazarus,  Borneo,  the  Mo- 
luccas, Papua  or  New  Guinea,  had  all  been  more  or  less  mi- 
Uutcly  examined,  and  might  be  held  to  define  with  sufficient 
accuracy  the  eastern  limits  of  the  Pacific,  from  the  latitude  of 
40°  north  to  that  of  10°  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  equator. 
Southward  of  this  all  was  unknown  and  unexplored ;  and  the 
geographers  of  the  period,  bold  in  their  ignorance,  delineated 
the  capes,  the  gulfs,  the  promontories,  bays,  islands,  and  coast 
of  a  great  continent  extending  from  the  vicinity  of  New 
Guinea  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  under  the 
name  of  terra  australis  nondum  coonita.  Of  the  in- 
numerable clusters  of  islands  with  which  the  South  Sea  is 
studded,  very  few  had  been  at  this  time  discovered.  Las 
Desventuradas,  the  Ladrones  or  Marians,  the  Sequeira  or 
Pclew,  and  several  others  of  the  Carolines ;  the  Islands  of 
San  Bernardo,  Las  Marquesas,  Solitaria,  the  Solomons,  Santa 
Cruz,  and  a  few  smaller  groups,  were  all  th.it  were  known  of 
those  countries  and  islands,  the  extent  and  number  of  which 
have  at  length  claimed  for  them  the  rank  of  a  fifth  division  of 
the  globe. 

During  this  period  the  earth  had  been  sailed  round  four 
times.  Of  these  circumnavigations,  the  first  was  effected  by 
Spaniards  under  a  Portuguese  commander  ;  the  second  and 
the  third  by  the  English ;  and  the  fourth  by  the  Dutch. 

0  8 


78    CIRCUMNAVIOATIONS  AND  DISCOVERIES 


If 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Circumnavigations  and  Discoveries  of  the  Seventeenth  Cen- 

tury. 

Voyage  of  Quiros.— La  Sagitaria-— Australia  del  Espirltu  Santo.— Luis 
Vaez  de  Torres  discovers  the  Strait  between  New  Holland  and  New 
Ouinea.— CircumnaTigation  oT  Spilbergen.— Of  Scliouten  and  Le 
Maire.— Discovery  of  Staten  Land  and  Cape  Horn.— Cocoa,  Good 
Hope,  and  Horn  Islands.— New  Ireland — Expedition  of  the  Nodala.— 
Discovery  of  ^ew  Holland  by  Dirck  Haticha.- Circumnavigation  of  (he 
Nassau  I^'Ieet.- Voyase  of  Tasman.— Discovery  of  Van  Diemen's 
Land,  of  New  Zealand  and  the  Friendly  Islands.— Voyages  of  Hen< 
drick  Brower  and  La  Roche.— Expeditions  of  the  Bucaniera.- Dis- 
covery of  Davis'  or  Easter  Island.— Voyage  of  Strong,  and  Discovery 
of  Falkland  Sound,- Retrospect. 

There  had  long  been  an  abatement  in  the  ardour  of  that 
passion  for  adventure  which  formerly  inflamed  the  hearts  of 
the  Spanish  nation,  afforded  to  her  chivalrous  youth  so  many 
harvests  of  gain,  and  extended  her  sceptre  over  regions  of 
great  extent,  wealth,  and  beauty.  Avarice  had  become  sated 
with  the  gold  already  obtained,  or,  chilled  by  the  frequent  dis- 
appointment of  its  eager  hopes,  had  become  suspicious  and 
distrustful  of  future  promises.  Enthusiasm  had  been  quenched 
by  the  misfortunes  of  those  whose  beginning  had  been  the 
most  prosperous  and  seemed  most  certain  of  success.  Reli- 
gious zeal  had  found,  in  the  lands  already  explored,  ampler 
bounds  than  it  could  occupy.  National  policy  required  rather 
the  permanent  security  and  improvement  oi  conquered  coun-^ 
tries,  than  a  search  after  new  regions.  There  had  even  arisen 
a  superstitious  feeling  against  the  discovery  of  the  South  Sea, 
as  if  it  had  been  an  impious  intrusion  into  the  secrets  of  na-f 
ture.  The  untimely  fate  of  all  who  had  been  principally  con? 
ccmed  in  this  great  event  was  now  recollected.  It  was  told, 
that  Vasoo  Nunez  had  been  beheaded — ^that  Magellan  had  fallen 
by  the  hands  of  the  infidels->-that  his  companion,  the  astrolo- 

ger  Ruy  Falero,  had  died  raving  mad — and  that  the  seaman 
^e  Lepe,  who  had  first  descried  the  strait  from  the  topmast, 
bad  ab»ndoi)od  Christ  to  foUow  Mahomet.    But  the  spirit 


OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 


79 


fvhich  had  glowed  so  long  was  not  wholly  dead,  and  we  have 
yet  to  record  the  actions  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished  nav- 
^tors  whom  Spain  has  produced. 

Undaunted  by  the  hardships  and  ill  success  of  the  last  voy- 
age of  Alvaro  de  Mendana,  the  pilot,  Pedro  Fernandez  de 
Quiros,  returned  to  Peru,  eager  to  engage  in  fresh  adventures, 
and,  as  one  of  his  memorials  expresses  it,  "  to  plough  up  the 
waters  of  the  unknown  sea,  and  to  seek  out  the  undiscovered 
lauds  around  the  antarctic  pole — the  centre  of  that  horizon."* 
Arguing  upon  grounds  which  were  received  by  many,  even 
down  to  our  own  day,  he  asserted  the  existence  of  a  vast 
southern  tontinent,  or  at  least  of  a  mass  of  islands,  the  antip- 
odes of  the  greater  part  of  Europe,  Africa,  and  Asia.  The 
viceroy,  to  whom  he  detailed  his  views,  heartily  approved  of 
the  project ;  but  (he  limits  of  his  authority  hindered  him  from 
furnishing  means  for  its  execution,  and  he  therefore  sent  him  to 
Spain  with  letters  of  recommendation  to  the  king  and  his  min- 
isters. These  were  successful.  Quiros  left  the  court  "  with 
the  most  honourable  schedules  which  had  ever  passed  the  coun- 
cil of  state,"  and,  arriving  at  Lima,  and ''  throwing  into  oblivion 
all  that  he  had  endured  for  eleven  years  in  the  pursuit  of  so 
important  an  object,"t  he  began  to  prepare  for  his  long-cher- 
ished enterprise. 

Having  built  two  vessels  and  a  zabra  (a  kind  of  launch),  the 
strongest  and  the  best  armed,  says  Torquemada,  of  any  that 
had  been  seen  on  either  sea,  on  the  21st  of  December,  1605, 
he  set  sail  from  the  port  of  Callao,  having  under  him,  as  sec- 
ond in  command,  Luis  Vaez  de  Torres,  t     Six  Grey  or  Fran- 


*  Dalrymple,  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  I.,  p.  98.  The  chief  authorities  Tor  the  voy- 
age of  Quiros  are  his  own  memorials  (which  are  inserted  i  i  Dalrymple, 
vol.  i.,  p  145-174 ;  and  in  Purchas,  vol.  iv.,  p.  1427),  together  with  the  re- 
lations of  Figueroa  and  Torquemada  (Monarchia  Indiana,  Seville.  1615, 
and  Madrid,  1723),  both  translated  by  Dalrymple,  vol.  i.,  p.  95-144.  In 
Barney's  Cliron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  ii ,  p.  467-478,  Appendix,  No.  i.,  was 
printed,  for  the  first  time,  the  "  Relation  of  Luis  Vaez  de  Torres,  con- 
cerning  the  discoveries  of  Quiros  as  his  almirante.  Dated  Manilla,  12tti 
July,  1607  i"  translated  by  Mr.  Dalrymple  (torn  a  Spanish  MS.  in  bis 
possession. 

t  Torqnemada.    Dalrymple,  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  104. 

i  Cook,  in  the  introduction  to  his  second  voyage,  Alls  into  the  singu- 
lar mistake  of  representing  Torres  as  commandei  of  the  expedition,  and 
Quiros  only  as  pilot.  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  and  round  the 
World,  In  the  years  1772'-1775.  3d  edition.  London,  1779.— Gen.  Introdit 
p.  xii. 


60     CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND  DISCOVERIES 


ciscan  Friars  accompanied  the  expedition  ;  and,  in  conformity 
with  their  wonted  respect  for  rehgion,  guns  were  fired  on  the 
85th  during  the  day,  and  the  ships  were  illuminated  during  the 
flight,  in  honour  of  the  solemn  festival  of  the  Nativity.  On 
reaching  the  latitude  of  26°  south,  Quiros  considered  it  prop- 
er to  pursue  a  more  northerly  track,  in  opposition  to  the  ad- 
vice of  Torres,  who  thought  that  by  advancing  to  30°  south 
there  was  greater  probability  of  finding  the  desired  continent. 
On  the  26th  of  January,  1600,  between  the  parallels  of  24°  and 
25°  south  latitude,  and  1000  leagues  west  from  Peru,  land 
was  seen.  It  was  a  low  fiat  island,  with  a  sandy  su*-face,  here 
and  there  diversified  by  a  fc  trees,  though  apparently  without 
inhabitants,  and  it  receiv,  the  name  of  La  Encamacion. 
Three  days  after  anciher  island  was  discovered;  it  was  "  plain 
and  even  a-top,"  might  contain  about  twelve  leagues,  and  was 
C8lled  Soil  Juan  Bautista.^  From  this  Quiros  sailed  in  a 
northwesterly  direction,  and  on  the  4th  of  February  saw  an 
island  or  group  of  islands,  encircled  by  a  reef  and  having  a 
lagoon  in  the  ^lentre.  This  land,  which  was  about  thirty 
leagues  in  circuit,  received  the  name  of  Santelmo.  The  next 
day  four  other  islands  were  seen  ;  they  were  barren  and  unin- 
habited, and  resembled  in  all  respects  those  previously  discov- 
ered. They  were  called  Los  Quatros  Coronadas  ;  and  two  of 
a  similar  character,  observed  in  the  vicinity,  were  named  San 
Miguel  Archa)igel  and  Conversion  de  San  Pablo. 

On  the  9th  of  February  an  island  was  seen  in  the  northeast, 
and,  from  the  circumstance  of  being  the  tenth  which  had  met 
their  eyes,  received  the  appellation  of  La  Decena.  It  appeared 
to  be  like  those  previously  inspected,  and  the  ships  passed  on. 
The  next  day  a  sailor  on  the  topmast  gave  the  cry  of  "  Land 
ahead !"  to  the  great  joy  of  all  on  board.  "  It  was,"  says 
Torres,  "a  low  island,  with  a  point ''to  the  southeast  which 
was  covered  with  palm-trees  ;"t  and  the  columns  of  smoke 
which  rose  from  different  parts  showed  that  it  was  inhabited. 
The  zabra  was  directed  to  search  for  an  anchorage,  and,  hav- 
ing found  it  in  ten  fathom^?,  the  boats  were  sent  to  eflfect  a 
landing.     About  a  hundred  Indians  were  seen  upon  the  beach 

*  It  may  bo  proper  here  to  state,  that  the  memorial  of  Torres  hai  pre- 
Borved  a  toiallj'  different  nomenclature  of  the  linds  from  that  given  by 
Quiros,  and  that  for  obvious  reasons  we  havs  adopted  the  names  bestowed 
by  the  latter. 

t  Bumey,  Cbron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  468. 


M 


OF  TH~  "BVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 


81 


making  signs  of  joy ;  but  so  great  was  the  surf  which  broke 
upon  the  rocks,  that  the  crews,  with  heavy  hearts,  abandoned 
their  intention  of  landing,  and  resolved  to  row  back  to  the 
ships.  "  They  were  thus  returning  quite  disconsolate,"  says 
Torquemada,  ''  when  a  brave-spirited  young  man,  Francisco 
Ponce,  a  native  of  Triana,  slighting  the  danger,  got  up,  say- 
ing, that  if  they  should  thus  turn  their  faces  from  the  firat 
perils  which  their  fate  presented,  what  hope  could  there  be  of 
success  in  the  event  \"  and  with  this  threw  himself  into  the 
sea  and  swam  ashore.  The  islanders  welcomed  him  with 
much  apparent  affection,  frequently  kissing  his  forehead,  and, 
encouraged  by  the  example  now  set  them,  some  others  leaped 
into  the  sea  and  swam  to  land.  The  natives  were  in  colour 
mulattoes,  well  limbed,  and  of  good  carriage;  they  were 
naked,  and  armed,-  some  with  lances  of  thick  wood,  burnt  at 
the  ends  and  about  twenty-seven  palms  in  length,  some  vfith 
swords  of  the  wood  of  the  palm-tree,  and  not  a  few  with  great 
clubs.  They  lived  in  thatched  houses,  situated  by  the  margin 
of  the  sea  among  groves  of  palms.  A  person  who  appeared 
to  be  a  chief  had  on  his  head  a  kind  of  crown  made  of  small 
black  feathers,  but  so  fine  and  soft  that  they  looked  like  silk. 
In  one  of  the  woods  was  discovered  what  seemed  to  be  an 
altar,  rudely  formed  of  stones ;  and  "  our  people,"  says  the 
Spanish  chronicler,  *'  solicitous  where  the  Prince  of  Darkness 
had  dwelt  to  place  the  royal  standard  whereby  the  Prince  of 
Light  gave  life  to  us,  with  Christian  zeal  cc*  down  a  tree  with 
their  knives,  which  they  formed  into  a  cross  and  fixed  in  the 
middle  of  the  place."*  The  island  was  found  to  be  divided 
by  a  narrow  isthmus  which  was  overflowed  at  high  water ;  its 
latitude  was  between  17°  40'  and  18°  30'  south,  and  its  lon- 
gitude, as  computed  from  the  different  accounts,  has  been 
fixed  by  Bumey  at  147°  2'  west  from  Greenwich.!  This  dis- 
covery was  named  La  Sagitaria,  and  has,  by  the  most  emi-r 
nent  geographers,  been  generally  considered  as  identical  with 
Ottiheite.  This  opinion  has.  been  founded  on  the  coincidence 
of  position,  on  the  similarity  of  the  isthmus,  on  the  resem- 
blance in  extent  and  form,  and,  above  all,  on  the  circmnstance 
that  no  other  island,  widely  as  the  Pacific  has  now  beeu 
searched,  is  known  to  which  the  description  will  at  all  apply, 


*  Torquemada.    Dalrymple,  Hist.  Col).,  vol.  i.,  p.  113, 
t  Cljron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  2SSi. 


If 


S2     CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   AND   DISCOVERIES 


Hi/ 


,.? 


\ 


\ 


But  it  must  not  be  concealed  that  there  are  many  and  mate- 
rial objections  to  this  theory.  Torres  expressly  describes  it 
as  a  "low  island" — a  remark  which  is  quite  irreconcilable 
with  the  mountain  peaks  of  Otaheite ;  and  even  the  account 
of  the  isthmus,  in  so  far  as  regards  its  being  overflowed  at 
high  water,  does  not  agree.  The  other  discrepances  arc, 
that  the  shores  of  Sagitaria  afforded  no  anchorage,  and  that 
its  smaller  peninsula  must  have  been  at  least  eight  Spanish 
leagues  in  extent — facts  which  are  altogether  inapplicable  to 
Otaheite.*  Little  weight,  however,  has  been  given  to  these 
remarks,  and  the  identity  of  the  two  islands  is  now  generally 
admitted ;  though,  when  all  circumstances  are  considered, 
doubts  may  still  be  entertained  as  to  the  soundness  of  the 
conclusion. 

On  the  12th  of  February,  Quinas  resumed  his  voyage,  and, 
while  yet  in  sight  of  La  Sagitaria,  saw  a  very  low  island, 
which  he  named  La  P^ugitiva.  On  the  21st,  another  discovery 
was  made  of  a  plain  and  uninhabited  spot,  which  was  called 
El  Peregrino.  About  this  time  a  mutiny  broke  out  on  board 
his  ship,  headed  by  the  chiejf  piloi ;  it  being  the  intention  of 
the  disaffected  to  make  themselves  masters  of  the  vessel  and 
sail  in  a  direct  course  to  the  Philippines.  The  only  punish- 
ment which  Quiros  inflicted  was  to  send  the  pilot  as  a  pris- 
oner on  board  the  vessel  commanded  by  Torres.  On  the  2d 
of  March,  a  level  island  was  seen  to  the  westward  ;  and  on  a 
nearer  approach  it  was  found  to  be  inhabited.  The  intercourse 
with  the  natives  was  unfortunately  hostile,  and  much  blood 
was  shed ;  but  the  beauty  of  their  forms  so  struck  the  Span- 
iards, that  they  gave  them  the  appellation  of  La  Gente  Her- 
mosa.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  this  is  the  same  with 
the  San  Bernardo  of  Mendana. 

Quiros  continued  to  sail  westward  in  the  parallel  of  10° 
south  upwards  of  thirty  days.  Towards  the  end  of  that  period 
frequent  signs  of  land  were  observed,  and  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  7th  of  April  a  high  and  black  coast  was  discovered. 
They  failed  to  reach  it,  however,  before  the  9th,  when  it  was 
found  to  be  inhabited  :  many  houses  were  descried  on  the 
beach  and  among  the  woods  ;  and  on  a  small  islet,  which  had 
been  converted  into  a  rude  fort,  were  about  seventy  dwellings. 

♦  Wales's  Remarks  on  Mr.  Foster's  Account  of  Captain  Cook's  Last 
Voyage  round  tbe  World  in  the  years  1772-1775.  London,  1778.  P 
24,25,26. 


.(*»•- ^ 


RIES 


OF  THE    SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY. 


83 


and  mate- 
escribes  it 
iconcilable 
le  account 
rflowed  at 
inces  arc, 
,  and  that 
It  Spanish 
}licablc  to 
1  to  these 
generally 
onsidered, 
iss  of  the 

^age,  and, 

w  island, 

discovery 

as  called 

on  board 

tention  of 

essel  and 

r  punish- 

8  a  pris- 

n  the  2d 

md  on  a 

crcourse 

h  blood 

e  Span- 

te  Her- 

ne  with 

of  10° 
period 
icon  of 
)vered. 
it  was 
on  the 
ch  had 
lings. 

's  Last 
8.     P 


This  island  fortress  was  taken  possession  of  by  the  Spaniards 
without  opposition — the  vicinity  of  Santa  Cruz,  aikl  a  knowl- 
edge of  Mendana's  transactions  there,  having  taught  the  sava- 
ges the  fatal  efficacy  of  firearms.  The  appellation  of  this 
country  was  Taumaco,  and  its  inhabitants  were  apparently  of 
different  races — some  having  a  light  copper-colour,  with  long 
hair — others  resembling  mulattoes — while  a  third  class  had 
the  black  skin  and  frizzled  hair  of  the  Oceanic  negro.  Their 
arms  were  bows  and  arrows,  and  they  had  large  sailing  canoes. 
From  the  chief,  whose  name  was  Tumay,  Quiros  obtained  in- 
formation of  upwards  of  sixty  islands,  and,  among  others,  of  a 
large  country  called  Manicolo.  He  determined  to  sail  in  quest 
of  these,  and  on  the  19th  quitted  Taumaco ;  and,  changing 
his  course  to  the  southward,  reached  an  island  which,  in  appear- 
ance and  in  inhabitants,  resembled  the  one  he  had  just  left, 
and  was  by  the  natives  denominated  Tucopia.  The  voyagers 
still  proceeded  southward  till  they  passed  the  latitude  of  14°, 
at  which  point  they  pursued  a  westerly  direction ;  and  after 
one  day's  sailing,  discovered  a  volcano  surrounded  by  land, 
about  three  leagues  in  circuit,  well  wooded,  and  inhabited  by 
black  people  with  large  beards.  When  near  this  island,  which 
was  named  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Luz,  land  was  perceived  to 
the  westward ;  while  in  the  south,  and  "  towards  the  S.  E." 
was  seen  "  other  land  still  larger,  which  seemed  to  have  no 
end,  and  was  full  of  great  mountains."  After  some  delibera- 
tion it  was  resolved  to  make  for  the  island  in  the  west,  which 
received  the  name  of  Santa  Maria  ;  but,  after  touching  there, 
Quiros  determined  to  steer  towards  the  high  regions  that  lay 
to  the  south.  On  the  2d  of  May,  he  moved  the  vessels  into 
a  large  bay,  and,  believing  that  he  had  at  length  discovered  the 
great  southern  continent,  gave  it  the  name  of  Australia  del 
EspiRiTU  Santo. 

The  bay,  in  honour  of  the  festival  on  which  they  had  en- 
tered it,  was  named  San  Felipe  y  Santiago ;  while  a  port  far 
within,  where  they  anchored,  was  called  La  Vera  Cruz. 
This  harbour,  which  could  have  contained  above  a  thou- 
sand ships,  was  situated  between  two  streams,  one  of  which 
was  named  .Jordan  and  the  other  Salvador.  Of  these  rivers, 
one  was  equal  in  size  to  the  Guadalquivir  at  Seville. 
"  The  strands  of  this  bay,"  says  Torquemada,  "  are  broad, 
long,  and  clear ;  the  sea  is  here  still  and  pleasant,  lor  al- 
though the  winds  blow  strong,  within  the  bay  the  water 


IS 


IT 


Tonv^wn^  1^'"*!' 


: 


t  > 


•  # 


(  -i 


111 


i  I 


84     CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND   DISCOVERIES 

rW-  ■ 
scarce  moved.  There  are  in  all  parts  in  front  of  the  sea  please 
ant  and  agreeable  groves,  extending  to  the  sidss  of  mauj 
mountains  which  were  in  sight ;  and  also  from  the  top  of 
one,  to  which  our  people  climbed,  were  perceived  at  a  dis 
tance  extremely  fertile  valleys,  plain  and  beautiful ;  and  vari 
ous  rivers  winding  among  the  green  mountains.  The  whole 
is  a  country  which,  without  doubt,  has  the  advantage  over 
those  of  America,  and  the  best  of  the  European  will  be  well 
if  it  is  equal."* — "  From  the  breaking  of  the  dawn,**  says 
Quiros,  "  is  heard  tlirough  all  the  neighbouring  wood  a  very 
great  harmony  of  thousands  of  different  birds,  some  to  ap- 
pearance nightingales,  blackbirds,  larks,  and  goldfinches,  and 
infinite  numbers  of  swallows,  pnd  besides  them  many  other 
kinds  of  birds,  even  the  chirping  of  grasshoppers  and  crickets. 
Every  morning  and  evening  were  enjoyed  sweet  scents  waft- 
ed from  all  kinds  of  flowers,  among  them  that  of  orange- 
flowers  and  sweet  basil. "t  As  the  boats  rowed  towards  tiMs 
second  Eden,  the  islanders  crowded  to  the  beach,  and  en- 
deavoured, by  friendly  signs,  to  prevent  their  landing.  The 
Spaniards,  however,  leaped  on  shore ;  upon  which  a  native 
chief  drew  a  line  on  the  ground  with  his  bow,  and  made  signs 
that  the  strangers  should  not  pass  beyond  it.  But  Luis  Vaez 
de  Torres,  thinking  this  would  appear  cowardly,  stepped 
across  the  boundary,  and  strife  instantly  ensued.  A  flight  of 
arrows  on  the  one  side  was  responded  to  by  a  discharge  of 
musketry  on  the  other,  which  killed  the  chief  and  several  of 
his  followers.  From  this  time  all  peace  was  at  an  end  ;  the 
savages  rejected  every  offer  of  conciliation,  and  by  sudden 
ambuscade  and  open  attack  sought  revenge  for  the  blood  of 
their  leader.  This  ceaseless  enmity,  and  the  failure  of  provis- 
ions, determined  Quiros  to  quit  the  place  before  a  month  had 
elapsed.  He  had,  however,  previbusly  taken  possession  of 
the  country,  in  the  name  of  the  king,  and  founded  a  city  under 
the  title  of  La  Nueva  Jerusalen.  The  natives  are  described 
as  black,  corpulent,  and  strong.  Their  houses  are  built  of 
wood  and  thatched,  and  they  have  plantations  enclosed  with 
palisades.  They  are  possessed  of  musical  instruments  re- 
sembling the  flute  and  drum  ;  they  manufacture  some  sort  of 


I 


*  Torquemada.    Dalrymple,  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  137 
t  "  Relation  of  a  Memorial  presented  by  Captain  Pedro  Fernandez  de 
Quires.'^    Palrymple,  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  170. 


OF   THE    SEVENTEENTH    CENTURY. 


85 


Earthen  vessels,  and  build  large  canoes  adapted  to  Icng  voy* 
ages. 

In  endeavouring  to  quit  the  harbour  of  San  Felipe  y  Santi- 
ago, much  stormy  weather  was  encountered,  and  for  some  rea- 
sons, which  cannot  now  be  ascertained,  Quiros  parted  com- 
pany with  his  consort.  After  a  vain  search  for  the  Island  of 
Santa  Cruz,  he  agreed,  in  compliance  with  the  opinion  of  his 
officers,  to  sail  for  Mexico,  where  he  arrived  in  the  middle  of 
October. 

Still  thirsting  after  discovery  and  adventure,  he  once  more 
repaired  to  the  court  of  Spain,  and  continued  there  several 
years,  beseeching  the  throne  for  assistance  to  pursue  the 
search  of  new  lands.  So  great  was  his  importunity,  that  he  is 
said  to  have  presented  no  fewer  than  fifty  memorials.  One  of 
these,  after  discussing  in  glowing  language  the  beauty  and  fer- 
tility of  the  Australia,  thus  concludes  : — '*  Acquire,  sire,  since 
you  can,  acquire  heaven,  eternal  fame,  and  that  new  world  with 
all  its  promises.  And  since  there  is  none  who  solicits  of  your 
majesty  the  rewards  for  the  glad  tidings  of  so  great  and  sig- 
nal a  blessing  of  God,  reserved  for  your  happy  time,  I,  sire, 
supplicate  them,  and  as  such  my  despatch,  for  the  galleons 
are  ready,  and  I  have  many  places  to  go  to,  ard  much  to  pro- 
vide and  to  do.  If  Christoval  Colon's  conioctures  did  make 
him  pertinacious,  what  I  have  seen,  v.'hat  I  have  felt,  and 
what  I  offer,  must  make  me  so  importunate,"*  The  solici- 
tations of  Quiros  were  at  last  crowned  with  success,  and  in 
1614  he  set  out  on  his  way  to  Lima,  in  order  to  arrange 
another  expedition.  But  this  gratification  <  he  was  doomed 
never  to  enjoy     he  died,  while  on  his  joumc) ,  at  Panama. 

We  now  return  to  Torres,  who,  during  two  weeks  after  the 
departure  of  Quiros,  remained  in  the  Bay  of  San  Felipe  y 
Santiago.  On  leaving  this  he  sailed  along  the  west  side  o^ 
the  Australia  del  Espiritu  Santo,  which  he  found  to  be  well 
watered  and  possessed  of  many  ports.  He  also  ascertained 
that  it  was  no  contmeiit,  but  an  island.  He  continued 
to  steer  to  the  southwestward,  till  he  reached  21°  of  south 
latitude,  when  he  changed  hij*  course  to  the  northeast,  and  in 
lli°  encountered  what  he  beheved  to  be  the  eastern  extrem- 
ity of  New  Guinea.  Being  unable  to  weather  this  point,  he 
directed  his  course  to  the  westward,  along  the  southern  coasts, 


*  Dalrympk.  ILbU  Coll.,  voL  i.,  p.  173, 174. 
H 


86     CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   AND   DISCOVERIES 


1 


S 


t 


1 1 


and  having  sailed  through  the  strait  between  New  Holland 
and  New  Guinea,  which  he  was  the  first  to  penetrate,  arrived 
at  Manilla  in  May,  1607. 

Holland  was  now  rising  fast  in  the  scale  of  maritime  im- 
portance, and  gradually  assuming  that  station  which  the 
Spaniards  had  so  long  occupied.  Following  the  example 
first  set  by  the  English,  the  Dutch  had  already  sent  two  fleets- 
into  the  South  Sea,  as  is  related  in  the  preceding  chapter ; 
and,  in  pursuing  the  course  of  the  narrative,  we  now  reach  a 
period  at  which  they  hold  the  most  distinguished  place  in  the 
history  of  navigation  and  discovery.  The  cession  of  the  Mo- 
luccas by  Spain  to  Portugal  put  an  end  for  some  time  to  the 
disputes  between  these  powers  in  the  Pacific,  and  the  union 
of  the  two  crowns  in  1581  prevented  any  renewal  of  the  con- 
tests. The  islands  themselves,  however,  never  wholly  sub- 
mitted to  the  dominion  of  either  of  those  masters  ;  and  when 
the  Dutch,  in  1599,  first  visited  Ternate,-  they  found  en- 
couragement to  establish  a  factory  ;  where,  from  that  time^ 
they  steadily  pursued  plans  for  securing  an  exclusive  trade^ 
Their  East  India  Company  (established  in  1602)  fitted  out  six 
vessels,  which,  under  George  Spilbergen,  sailed  from  the 
Texel  on  the  8th  of  August,  1614,  destined  to  penetrate 
through  the  Straits  of  Magellan  to  the  South  Sea,  there  to 
cruise  against  the  Spaniards,  and  to  strengthen  the  power  of 
their  countrymen  in  the  Spice  Islands.  They  wore  furnished 
equally  for  war  or  for  trade  ;  and  so  ably  was  the  expedition 
conducted,  that  the  five  largest  vessels  reached  the  Moluccas 
in  safety,  after  defeating  Roderigo  de  Mendoza  with  a  greatly 
superior  force  near  the  American  coast.  The  Peruvian  ad- 
miral had  boasted  that  he  would  make  prisoners  or  slay  the 
whole  of  his  enemies  :' — "  Two  of  my  ships,"  he  said,  "  would 
take  all  England ;  how  much  mOre  those  Hens  of  Hol- 
land, after  so  long  a  journey  has  spent  and  wasted  them  !"•' 
In  the  encounter,  the  Low  Country  warriors  betrayed  nothing 
of  the  spirit  of  the  fowl  to  which  they  were  insultingly  com- 
pared ;  but  the  arrogant  governor  did  not  survive  to  encounter 
the  ridicule  which  he  had  justly  merited,  for  his  vessel,  after 
escaping  from  the  conflict,  went  down  at  sea.  It  was  not  to 
be  expected  that  a  Dutchman,  whose  orders  were  to  employ 
himself  in  fighting  and  traflic,  should  deviate  from  the  accus- 


*  Furcbas,  vol.  i.,  p.  81. 


ERIES 

ew  Holland 
ate,  arrived 

aritime  im- 
which  the 
le  example 
I;  two  fleets- 
g  chapter; 
ow  reach  a 
lace  in  the 
of  the  Mo- 
ime  to  the 
the  union 
of  the  con- 
holly  sub- 
and  when 
found   en- 
that  time^ 
ive  trade, 
bed  out  six 
from  the 
penetrate 
there  to 
power  of 
furnished 
xpedition 
Vloluccas 
a  greatly 
ivian  ad- 
slay  the 
"  would 
of  Hol- 
lem  I"' 
nothing 
ly  com- 
icounter 
el,  after 
s  not  to 
employ 
Icaccus- 


OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 


87 


tomed  track  in  search  of  new  lands,  or  spend  much  time  in 
investigating  the  character  and  manners  of  the  people;  his 
voyage  accordingly  presents  nothing  that  is  now  interesting 
in  either  of  these  respects,  though  the  survey  of  the  Straits  of 
Magellan  and  of  Manilla  furnished  to  mariners  better  charts 
of  these  channels  than  any  before  executed.  On  the  29th 
March,  1616,  Spilbergen  arrived  at  the  Moluccas,  and  till  the 
end  of  the  year  continued  occupied  with  the  affairs  of  his 
employers.  He  seems  then  to  have  left  his  own  vessels,  and, 
coming  home  in  command  of  the  Amsterdam  and  Zealand, 
arrived  on  the  1st  July,  1617. 

By  the  charter  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company,  no  other 
merchants  were  allowed  to  pass  round  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  or  through  the  Straits  of  Magellan  to  the  Moluccas — a 
prohibition  supposed  to  be  sufficient  to  secure  to  that  body 
an  exclusive  trade  in  the  spices.  Many  English  pilots  were, 
however,  about  this  time  in  the  service  of  the  United  Prov- 
inces ;  and  by  their  means,  it  is  probable,  was  the  fact  made 
known,  that  Drake  had  discovered  an  open  sea  to  the  south 
of  Tierra  del  Fuego.  Accordingly,  about  the  year  1613, 
some  merchants,  proceeding  on  this  ground,  imagined  that  a 
new  passage  might  be  found  to  India,  and  that  they  might 
thus  acquire  a  right  to  participate  in  the  gainful  traffic  to  these 
regions.  An  expedition  was  accordingly  planned,  chiefly,  as 
appears,  by  Isaac  le  Maire,  a  wealthy  citizen  of  Amsterdam, 
and  by  William  Schouten,  a  native  of  Hoom,  and  an  expe- 
rienced mariner.  Their  object  was  not  openly  avowed :  they 
obtain<%d  from  the  states-general  the  privilege  of  making  the 
first  foiur  voyages  to  the  places  which  they  might  discover,  and 
formed  themselves  into  an  association  under  the  name  of  the 
Southern  Company ;  but,  as  the  destination  of  the  vessels  was 
not  disclosed  to  the  seamen,  who  were  engaged  to  sail  whith- 
ersoever their  commanders  chose,  the  other  merchants  were 
displeased  because  they  could  not  penetrate  the  designs  of 
their  neighbours,  and  those  who  engaged  in  the  enterprise 
were  derisively  denominated  Gold  Seekers.* 

*  Tt  ia  proper  to  observe,  that  the  details  or  the  voyage  or  Schouten 
and  le  Maire  are  in  many  instances  involved  in  doubt.  Two  accounts 
of  their  voyage  were  published  shortly  after  its  ronipletion,  written  by 
the  lespective  (Viends  of  the  two  navigators,  and  the  discrepances  be- 
tween these  narratives,  though  they  do  not  afluct  the  more  important 
events  cf  the  voyage,  involve  the  minuter  details  in  mach  perplexity. 


p'- 


41 


88      CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   AND   DISCOVERIES 


!  i 


i, 

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r 

\ 


M 


I 


Schouten,  accompanied  by  Jacob  le  Maire,  the  son  of 
Isaac,  in  the  capacity  of  supercargo,  sailed  from  the  Texel 
on  the  14th  of  June,  1615,  with  two  ships,  the  Eendrachtand 
Hoom.  It  was  not  till  the  25th  of  October,  after  they  had 
crossed  the  line,  that  the  crews  were  informed  of  the  inten- 
tions of  their  leaders ;  and  when  told  that  they  were  steering 
by  a  new  passage  to  the  south  of  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  for 
the  "  Terra  Australis"  (probably  the  Australia  del  Espiritu 
Santo  of  Quiros),  some  of  them,  that  they  might  not  forget 
the  name,  wrote  it  in  their  caps  with  chalk.  The  ships  were 
conducted  into  Port  Desire,  where,  during  the  process  of  ca- 
reening, the  Hoom  was  accidentally  burnt.  On  shore  were 
found  multitudes  of  birds  like  lapwing?.  A  man,  standing  in 
one  spot,  could  with  his  hands  reach  fifty-four  nests,  each 
containing  three  or  four  eggs.  Thousands  of  these  were  car- 
ried on  board  and  used  as  food,  to  the  no  small  saving,  doubt- 
There  is  sometimes  a  difference  between  their  reckonings  ortVom  twenty- 
five  to  rorty  five  minutes  or  latitude ;  they  vary  in  their  dates  to  the  ex- 
tent or  eight  or  nine  days ;  and  even  while  they  agree  as  to  the  sub- 
stance of  events,  they  differ  as  to  the  order  of  their  orcarrence.  In  the 
following  account,  we  have  endeavoured  to  reconcile  their  conflicting 
statements  so  far  as  })088ible ;  and  where  that  was  not  practicable,  have 
generally  given  preference  to  the  authority  of  the  first-published  ac- 
count, the  Journal  of  the  Voyage  of  JVilliam  Schovten,  which  ap- 
peared at  Amsterdam  in  1617,  in  the  Dutch  and  French  languages,  bear-* 
Ing  in  the  latter  the  title  of  "  Journal  ou  Description  du  Merveilleux  Voy- 
age de  Guillaume  Schouten."  It  was  translated  into  Latin  by  De  Bry  in 
1610,  and  an  English  translation  appeared  at  London  in  the  same  year, 
and  afterward  in  Purchas,  vol.  i.,  p.  88-107.  The  second  narrative  of 
the  voyage  was  printed  at  Amsterdam  in  1623,  under  the  title  of  "Journal 
et  Miioir  de  la  Navigation  Australe  de  Jacques  Le  Maire,  Chef  et  Con- 
ducteur  de  deux  Navires."  In  addition  to  these  have  appeared  various 
other  relations,  to  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  advert,  as  they  are  of  no 
authority,  and  contain  nothing  but  what  will  be  found  in  the  two  original 
authorities.  But  ono  exception  must  be  made  from  this  judgment^ — the 
"Navigation  Australe  par  Jac.  le  Maire  et  par  W.  Corn.  Schouten," said 
to  be  compiled  from  the  Journal  of  Adrian  Claesz,  and  published  in  the 
*'  Recueil  des  Voyages  d  I'Etablissement  de  la  Comp.  des  Indes  Orient." 
Translations  of  the  Journals  of  3chouten  and  of  Le  Maire,  and  of  parts 
of  that  attributed  to  Claesz,  are  inserted  in  Dairymple's  Hist.  Coll.,  vol. 
ii.,p.  1-64.  An  able  and  critical  narrative  will  be  found  in  Burney's 
valuable  work.  This  author,  though  he  seems  frequently  to  have  pre- 
ferred the  account  given  by  the  friends  of  Le  Maire,  states  with  much 
candour  that,  "  on  comparison,  the  fact  appears  that  the  greater  portion 
of  the  Navigation  Australe  de  Le  Maire  is  taken  from  the  Journal  du 
Merveilletuc  Voyage  de  W.  Schouten,  and  that  the  editor  has  endeav- 
oured to  disguise  the  plagiarism  by  verbal  alterations,"— Chron,  Hist 
piaeov.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  360. 


OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 


89 


less,  of  the  five  cheeses,  and  other  provisions,  which  had  been 
apportioned  to  each  sailor  for  the  voyage.^  On  the  main 
land  some  pools  of  fresh  vviiter  were  found,  by  following  the 
direction  in  which  certain  animals  with  long  necks,  supposed 
to  be  harts,  but  probably  horses,  were  observed  daily  to  re- 
pair for  the  purpose,  as  was  rightly  conjectured,  of  drinking. 
On  the  summits  of  hills  and  on  elevated  rocks  were  observed 
piles  of  stones,  which  some  of  the  people  had  the  curiosity 
to  remove ;  and  beneath,  without  any  pit  being  dug,  were 
found  human  skeletons,  several  of  which,  it  is  alleged,  meas- 
ured ten  or  eleven  feet  in  length,  and  "  the  sculls,"  it  is  said 
in  the  description  which  accompanies  the  plates  inserted  in 
the  "  Journal  du  Merveilleux  Voyage  de  Schouten,"  "  we 
could  put  on  our  heads  in  the  manner  of  helmets." 

On  the  13th  of  January,  1616,  the  Eendracht  left  Port  De- 
sire,t  and  stood  to  the  southward.  On  the  18th  they  saw  the 
islands  of  Sibald  de  Weert  (the  Falklands),  and  two  days 
after,  at  noon,  passed  the  latitude  of  the  entrance  of  the  Straits 
of  Magellan.  It  was  now  that  the  most  critical  part  of  their 
voyage  commenced,  and  the  winds,  soundings,  and  appear- 
ances of  the  land  and  water  were  observed  and  noted  with 
the  greatest  minuteness.     On  the  24th  they  came  to  the  most 


*  **  It  was  ordered  that  every  man  should  have  a  can  of  beere  a  day, 
foure  pound  or  biaket,  and  halfe  a  (tound  of  buKer  (besides  sweet  suet) 
a  weeke,  and  five  uheese^  fbr  the  whole  voyage." — Purcbas,  vol.  i., 
p.8S. 

\  When  $=!ir  John  Narborough  lay  at  Port  Desire  in  1670,  be  discovered 
a  relic  or  the  visit  of  Schouten  and  Le  Maire.  "  One  or  my  men,"  he 
writes,  "  found  a  piece  of  sheet  lead,  which  bad  this  inscription  engraven 
on  it  :•— 

'MDCXV.  EEN  8CHIP  ENDB  CBN  JAOHT  GENAEMT  EENDRACHT  EN 
HOOKN  GKARRIVKKRT  DKGN  VllI  DECEMBER  VBRTROKKN  MET  EEN 
BCHIP  D'BKNDRACHT  DEN  X.JANUARY:   MDCXVI. 

C.  I.  LE  MAIRE.  8.  W.  C.  SCHOVrS. 

AR.  CLASSEN.  I.  C.  SCHOVTS.  CL.  IAN8BN  BAM.' 

(t.  e.  mdcxv.  a  ship  and  a  yacht,  named  Eendracht  and  Hoorn,  arrived 
here  on  the  Sth  Uecember.  Departed  with  the  ship  Eendracht  10th 
January,  mdcxvi.)  In  a  hole  of  the  |)ost  lay  a  tin  box,  with  a  sheet  of 
wriiren  paper  enclosed  in  it,  but  so  eaten  by  the  rust  of  the  box  that 
it  could  not  be  read.  We  found  several  pieces  uf  board  of  the  wreck  of  some 
ship  that  had  hee>i  burnt."— Journal  kept  by  Captain  John  Narborough. 
Burney,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  334,  335.  These  fragments 
must  have  belonged  to  the  Hoorn,  which,  as  has  been  mentioned,  acci- 
dentally took  fire  while  being  careened.  There  is  a  discrepance  of  three 
days  between  the  date  of  departure  in  the  inscription  and  in  the  accounts 
of  the  voyage. 

H2 


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90     CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   AND   DISCOVERIES 


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easterly  point  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  saw  another  country 
still  farther  in  the  same  direction,  which  they  named  Staten 
Land,  in  honour  of  the  States  of  Holland.  Passing  through 
the  channel,  which  afterward  in  a  meeting  of  their  council 
was  entitled  the  Strait  of  Le  Maire,  the  coast  on  the  left  was 
found  to  diverge  towards  the  east,  while  that  on  the  right 
turned  west  southwest ;  and  the  mariners  knew  they  had  a 
wide  sea  before  them,  the  colour  of  the  water  being  blue,  and 
long  waves  coming  from  the  southwest.  At  last,  on  the 
30th,  they  passed  the  most  southerly  point  of  Tierra  del 
Fuego,  which  was  named  Cape  Horn  or  Hoom,  in  honour  ol 
the  town  of  Hoom  in  West  Friesland,  the  birthplace  ol 
Schouten.  The  land  was  high  and  hilly,  covered  with  snow. 
In  some  parts  of  this  ocean,  whales  were  so  numerous  that 
the  pilots  were  incessantly  obliged  to  alter  their  course  in  or- 
der to  avoid  ruiming  against  them,  while  in  others  the  sea- 
birds,  unused  to  the  sight  of  human  beings,  alighted  in  the 
ship  and  suffered  themselves  to  be  taken  by  the  sailors.  The 
weather  was  frequently  tempestuous,  and  they  never  wanted 
rain  or  mist,  snow  or  hail.  On  the  3d  of  February  they 
were  in  59°  30',  their  greatest  southern  latitude,  from  which, 
standing  northwest,  they  reckoned  on  the  12th  that  they  had 
again  attained  the  parallel  of  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  and  con- 
sequently had  effected  a  new  passage  into  the  Pacific  Ocean ; 
for  joy  of  which,  an  allowance  of  three  cups  of  wine  was  dealt 
out  to  all  the  men. 

At  Juan  Fernandez  they  missed  the  anchorage,  but  ob- 
tained a  little  water,  and  were  most  successful  in  their  fish- 
ing, the  bait  being  caught  the  moment  it  was  dropped,  so  that 
those  employed  "continually  without  ceasing  did  nothing 
but  draw  up"  bream  and  corcobados.  From  this  island,  in  a 
course  northwest  by  north,  they  crossed  the  southern  tropic, 
then  stood  northwest  as  far  as  18°  of  south  latitude.  On 
the  10th  of  April  was  discovered  a  circular  strip  of  land  fuU 
of  trees,  with  sea-birds  perched  on  the  branches,  the  interior 
having  the  appearance  of  being  overflowed  at  high  water.  No 
marks  of  inhabitants  could  be  perceived,  but  three  dogs  were 
seen,  which,  as  the  Dutchmen  allege,  could  neither  bark  nor 
growl ;  and  from  this  circumstance  it  was  denominated  Hon- 
den  or  Dog  Island.  On  the  14th  they  came  to  another  nar- 
row border  well  covered  with  wood,  surrounding  a  salt-water 
lake  in  the  middle,  and  styled  it  Sonder-grondt,  or  Bottom* 


n 


i^ERIES 


OF   THE    SEVENTEENTH    CENTURY. 


91 


Jther  country 
amed  Staten 
sing  through 
their  council 
1  the  left  was 
on  the  right 
V  they  had  a 
ng  blue,  and 
last,  on  the 
f  Tierra  del 
in  honour  ol 
)irthplace  ol 
I  with  snow, 
imerous  that 
course  in  or- 
lers  the  sea- 
jhted  in  the 
lilors.     The 
ever  wanted 
sbruary  they 
from  which, 
lat  they  had 
m,  and  con- 
ific  Ocean ; 
le  was  dealt 

|e,  but  ob- 

1  their  fish- 

led,  so  that 

id  nothing 

island,  in  a 

lern  tropic, 

ude.      On 

>f  land  full 

he  interior 

rater.     No 

dogs  were 

r  bark  nor 

ated  Hon- 

lOther  nar- 

salt-water 

Bottpm« 


less,  because  they  failed  to  obtain  soundings.  A  great  num- 
ber of  natives,  of  a  copper  colour,  with  long  black  hair  fast- 
ened up  behind,  were  seen ;  some  of  whom  pushed  off  in  a 
canoe,  and  addressed  themselves  to  the  Dutch  by  signs  and 
speeches,  in  which  they  became  so  emphatic  as  to  overset 
their  bark.  Those  on  shore  waved  their  garments  and 
branches  of  trees,  thereby  inviting,  as  was  supposed,  the 
fltrangers  to  land.  By-and-by  their  skiffs  ventured  nearer 
the  ship,  and  one  of  them  getting  into  the  gallery,  showed 
iliat  he  knew  the  value  of  iron,  by  drawing  the  nails  from  the 
rabin  windows  and  concealing  them  in  his  hair.  As  it  was 
understood  that  hogs  and  fowls  were  plentiful,  a  party  went 
ashore  in  the  boat  for  the  purpose  of  trading ;  but  immediately 
ou  their  landing,  about  thirty  islanders  rushed  from  the  woods 
and  assaulted  them.  The  discharge  of  three  muskets  soon 
put  them  to  flight ;  but  from  this  inauspicious  beginning  it 
was  thought  needless  to  attempt  any  further  to  establish  a 
friendly  intercourse.  The  noses  of  these  people  are  described 
as  flat,  "  which,"  as  Burney  remarks,  "  is  no  part  of  the  gen- 
eral character  of  the  inhabitants  of  any  of  the  islands  at  pres- 
ent known  in  the  South  Seas."*  On  the  16th,  our  naviga- 
tors filled  four  casks  of  water  from  an  island  resembling  those 
previously  visited,  and  which  they  named  Waterlandt.  Two 
days  after,  another  being  descried,  some  of  the  crew  landed 
and  entered  a  wood,  where,  seeing  a  native  with  what  ap- 
peared to  be  a  bow  in  his  hand,t  and  having  no  arms  them- 
selves, they  hastened  back  to  the  ship  covered  with  black 
flies,  which  infested  all  on  board  three  or  four  days.  The 
name  of  Vlieghen  or  Fly  Island  was  in  consequence  bestowed 
on  the  place. 

On  the  8th  of  May,  when  out  of  sight  of  land,  an  Indian 
vessel  was  observed  standing  to  the  north,  across  the  course 
of  the  Eendracht,  from  which  three  guns  were  fired  as  a  sig- 
nal that  the  other  should  lay  to.    It  was  strange  that  Schouten, 

.   ^  { 

*  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  li.,  p.  381. 

t  "  They  saw  a  savage  who  seemed  to  them  to  have  a  bow  in  his 
hand,"  says  the  Journal  of  Schouten  ;  and  it  is  remarked,  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  an  island  subsequently  visited  (see  below,  p.  99),  that  *'  these 
were  the  first  bows  we  saw  at  the  islands  in  the  South  Seas."  The 
Navigation  Australe  of  Le  Maire  speaks  positively  of  having  "  perceived 
a  savage  man  with  his  bow  in  his  hand,  as  if  to  shoot  f|sh."  But  the 
observations  of  modern  navigators  tend,  without  exception,  to  establisb 
the  fact  that  bows  and  arrows  ar«  not  in  use  on  Fly  Island. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/. 


if 


1.0 


1.1 


liilM    125 
itt  Ui   §2.2 

^  Ijfi    12.0 


IL25  i  1.4 


FhotogFaphic 

Sciences 

Corporalion 


'^ 


v 


<^ 


4 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  145M 

(716)  S72-4503 


^  A 


.V* 


4^ 


^S    CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND  DISCOVERIES 


'■'1 

Pi      Mi 


yrho  luust  have  been  aware  that  firearms  were  entirely  un- 
Imown  to  many  of  Uiese  poor  islanders,  should  have  expected 
•uch  a  signal  to  be  understood,  or  thought  that,  upon  their 
fiuling  to  comply,  he  might  justly  use  violence.  The  Indians 
at  first  paid  no  attrition  to  the  summons,  and  on  its  repetition 
made  every  endeavour  to  escape.  A  boat  was,  however,  low- 
ered with  ten  musketeers,  who  speedily  out-manoeuvred  the 
fugitives,  and,  when  within  half-range,  mercilessly  fired  four 
ehots  among  them,  by  which  Qne  was  wounded,  and  immedi- 
ately leaped  into  the  sea.  Fifteen  or  sixteen  others,  in  terror, 
blackened  their  faces  with  ashes,  threw  overboard  their  mer- 
chandise, which  consisted  of  small  mats  and  some  fowls,  and 
committed  themselves  to  the  waves,  one  man  carrying  an  in- 
fant with  him.  The  Dutch  found  in  the  vessel  eight  wonwn 
with  three  children  at  the  breast,  and  several  others  nine  or 
ten  years;pld,  an  aged  man  also,  and  the  wounded  youth  who 
had  returned  on  board  ;  but  no  weapons  of  any  kind.  When 
the  canoe  had  been  taken  alongside  of  the  Eendracht,  the  boat 
returned  to  the  assistance  of  the  Indians  in  the  water,  of 
whom  only  two  were  saved,  who  pointed  downward,  to  signify 
that  all  the  rest  had  gone  to  the  bottom.  They  fell  on  their 
faces  before  their  conquerors,  kissing  their  feet  and  hands ; 
and  on  being  presented  with  knives  and  beads,  gave  in  return 
two  mats  and  two  coooanuts,  although  they  had  little  provis- 
ions left  for  their  own  use.  Their  whole  stock  of  fresh  water 
being  exhausted,  they  drank  from  the  sea,  and  supplied  their 
children  with  the  same  beverage.  Towards  evening,  the  In- 
dians were  put  on  board  their  canoe,  "  that  were  welcome  to 
their  wives,  which  claspt  them  about  the  necks,  and  kissed 
them  ;"*  one  of  the  women,  however,  Jippeared  to  be  in  much 
affliction,  lamenting  the  loss  of  her  husband.  Their  hopes  of 
a  prosperous  trafilic  being  blasted^  by  this  cruel  disaster,  the 
savages  now  steered  a  course  the  reverse  of  that  they  had  for- 
merly held,  on  their  return,  no  doubt,  to  the  place  whence  they 
had  adventurously  sailed,  quitting  sight  of  land  without  any  of 
the  aids  which  render  such  a  navigation  safe. 

On  the  11th  of  May  the  ship  anchored  at  Cocos  Island,  so 
named  from  the  abundance  of  tiiat  species  of  fruit :  another  isl- 
and lay  about  a  league  to  the  south  southwest.  Canoes  soon 
flockad  to  the  place,  and  by  degrees  a  few  of  the  natives  ventured 


*  Fnrobas,  vol.  i.,  p.  M. 


OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURT. 


93 


1 


on  board,  end  being  entertained  with  some  tunes  by  a  s€)bi^ 
who  played  on  the  fiddle,  they  danced  and  *<  showed  thema^Tfi 
joyful  and  delighted  beyond  measure.*'  Numerous  grpi^>8.' 
speedily  resorted  to  the  vessel,  admiring  every  thing  they  saiv» 
and  pilfering  whatever  they  could  carry  off.  "  They  wonderied 
at  the  greatnesse  and  strength  of  the  shippe,  and  some  of  them, 
crept  downe  behind  at  the  rother  (rudder),  under  the  ship?  and 
knockt  with  stones  upon  the  bottom  thereof,  to  proove  how 
fetrong  it  was."*  They  brought  for  traffic  plenty  of  cocoas, 
bananas,  yams,  and  some  small  hogs,  which  were  purchased  at 
an  easy  rate  for  old  nails  and  beads  ;  and  so  eager  were  they, 
that  those  in  the  outer  canoes  secured  their  commodities  in 
their  teeth,  and  dived  under  the  rest,  endeavouring  to  cut  them 
out  from  the  advantage  of  l3ring  closer  to  the  ship.  The  king 
of  the  southern  island  had  sent  a  present  to  the  Eendracht, 
tnd  received  one  in  return.  The  next  day  he  came  with  a 
largo  assemblage  of  his  people,  ostensibly  for  trade,  which 
tvas  carried  on  as  usual  for  some  time  ;  but,  on  the  striking  of 
a  drum,  the  whole  of  them,  amounting  to  about  1000,  set  up 
a  shout,  and  assailed  the  Hollanders  with  stones.  The  great 
guns  and  musketry  soon  dispersed  these  rude  warriors  in  con- 
stemation,  and  Schouten  set  sail,  naming  their  coimtry  Verra- 
ders  or  Traitors'  Island.  The  voyagers  remarked  among  them 
one  man  perfectly  white.  On  the  14th,  in  searching  for 
anchorage  near  an  island  which  they  called  Good  Hope,  from 
its  'ttrasenting  a  fair  promise  of  supplying  their  want  of  fresh 
watoian  affray  took  place  with  the  natives ;  for  which  reason 
they  again  thought  it  advisable  to  continue  their  course. 

On  the  18th  May  they  were  in  latitude  16°  6'  south,  and 
on  this  day  a  genentl  council  was  held  to  decide  on  the  future 
direction  of  their  voyage.  Schouten  represented,  that  though 
they  were  now  at  least  1600  leagues  westward  from  the  coast  of 
Peru,  they  had  discovered  no  part  of  the  Terra  Austiulis,  and  that 
no  indications  even  of  its  existence  had  yet  been  met  with. 
There  was,  he  stated,  little  likelihood  of  their  success,  and  they 
had  besides  sailed  much  farther  to  the  westward  than  was  their 
original  intention.  The  result  of  continuing  in  their  present 
track,  he  said,  must  be  that  they  would  fall  upon  the  southern 
coasts  oi  New  Guinea,  and  in  the  event  of  their  not  finding  a 
passage  on  that  side  of  the  island,  they  must  vdthout  doubt 


*  Porcbas.  vol.i.>  p.  97. 


94     CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND  DISCOVERIES 


»  f 


II    i 

r 


K     I 


|5   ^ 


I  i 


be  lost,  as  the  constant  trade-winds  would  altogether  preclude 
their  return  to  the  eastward.*  He  bade  them  remember,  also, 
that  their  store  of  victuals  was  but  small,  and  that  there  was 
little  prospect  of  increasing  it ;  and  concluded  by  asking,  if  it 
were  not  better,  considering  all  these  things,  to  alter  their 
coulee  and  to  sail  northward,  thus  passing  by  the  upper  shorea 
of  New  Guinea,  and  reach  the  Molucca  Islands.  This  sug- 
gestion was  at  once  adopted,  and  their  line  of  motion  change! 
to  the  north  northwest.  Towards  evening  of  the  next  day 
they  canie  in  sight  of  land,  divided  apparently  into  two  islands, 
distant  from  each  other  about  a  cannon-shot.  They  directed, 
the  ship  towards  them  ;  but,  owing  to  contrary  winds,  it  was 
not  until  the  noon  of  the  2Ist  that  they  got  within  a  league's 
distance.  About  twenty  canoes  instantly  came  off,  filled  with 
people  much  resembUng  the  inhabitants  of  Good  Hope  Island. 
As  they  approached  the  vessel  they  made  a  great  hallooing, 
which  was  interpreted  by  the  navigators  into  a  salutation  of 
welcome,  and  answered  with  the  sound  of  trumpets  and  shout- 
ing. One  of  the  natives,  however,  having  been  observed  to 
shake  his  wooden  aasagay  or  spear  in  a  warlike  manner,  and 
the  theft  of  a  shirt  from  the  gallery  having  been  discovered, 
a  cannon  and  some  muskets  were  discharged  against  them,  by 
which  two  of  the  savages  were  wounded,  and  the  whole  put  to 
flight,  the  linen  (which  belonged  to  the  president)  being  thrown 
into  the  sea.  A  boat  which  was  afterward  despatched  to 
search  for  a  more  convenient  anchorage  was  attacked,  and  in 
the  conflict  which  ensued  six  of  the  islanders  were  killed^ 
several  wounded,  and  one  canoe  captured. 

On  the  23d  the  ship  was  drawn  into  a  bay,  and  safely 
moored  at  about  the  distance  of  a  stone's  throw  from  the 
shore,  and  so  near  to  a  stream  of  fresh  water  that  a  supply 
could  be  procured  by  the  boats  within  range  of  the  guns. 
Here  the  adventurers  remained  Seven  days,  holding  a  friendly 
intercourse  with  the  inhabitants,  and  receiving  provisions  from 
them  in  retiun  for  knives,  beads,  nails,  and  trinkets.  Imme- 
diately on  their  anchoring,  these  last  flocked  in  vast  numbers 
to  the  beach,  and  soon  e.rcer  came  off  to  the  ship  in  their  canoes. 
Towards  night  an  old  man  brought  four  bunches  of  cocoanuts 


*  This  reasoning  shows  that  Schouten  was  ignorant  of  the  strait  b»< 
tween  New  Guinea  and  New  Holland,  discovered  by  Luis  Vaez  ds  Tor* 
tm.  See  above,  p.  86. 


^-   OF  THE  SETENTEENTH  CENTURY. 


95 


as  a  present  from  the  artki  or  herico,  the  title  by  which,  here 
as  well  as  at  Cocos  Island,  the  chief  or  king  was  distin- 
guished.    He  refused  to  accept  any  gift  in  return,  but  ini^ted 
the  Europeans  to  go  on  shore.     Accordingly,  on  the  morning 
of  the  next  day,  tluree  of  them  landed,  six  of  the  natives  hav- 
ing been  first  put  on  board  the  ship  as  hostages.     They  weret 
welcomed  with  much  ceremony,  and  found  the  sovereign 
seated  on  a  mat  in  an  open  house  or  shed,  called  a  beUjiy* 
On  their  approach,  he  joined  his  hands  and  bowed  his  head 
downward,  remaining  in  that  position  nearly  half  an  hour; 
when  the  Hollanders  having  at  length  put  themselves  into  a 
similar  posture,  he  resumed  his  usual  attitude.     One  of  his  at- 
tendants, supposed  to  be  a  chief  of  high  rank,  kissed  the  feet 
and  hands  of  one  of  the  Dutchmen,  "  sobbing  and  crying  like 
a  child,  and  putting  the  foot  of  Adrian  Claesz  upon  his  neck." 
A  present  was  given  to  the  principal  ruler,  of  two  hand-bells, 
a  red  bonnet,  and  some  trifling  articles,  all  of  which  were  re- 
ceived with  much  joy,  expressed  by  repeated  exclamations  of 
"AwooP^    In  return,  the  visiters  were  gratified  with  four 
small  hogs.    During  the  time  the  sailors  were  taking  in  water, 
''when  any  of  the  Indians  came  neere  the  boat,  the  king 
himselfe  came  thither  and  drave  them  thence,  or  oent  one  of 
his  men  to  doe  it.*'     His  subjects  seemed  to  yield  him  im- 
plicit obedience,  and  to  hold  him  in  great  awe.     A  native 
having  stolen  a  cutlass,  a  complaint  was  made  to  one  of  the 
royal  attendants,  who  instantly  caused  the  criminal  to  be 
brought  back  and  beaten  with  staves.     The  weapon  was  re- 
stored ;  and  the  strangers  were  informed  by  signs  that  if  the 
ariki  knew  of  it,  the  thiefs  head  would  be  cut  ofif.     After 
this,  says  the  Journal  of  Schouten,  "  we  had  nothing  stolen 
from  us,  neither  on  the  shore,  nor  in  the  ship,  nor  elsewhere ; 
neither  durst  they  take  a  fish  that  we  angled  for."     The  re- 
port of  a  musket  produced  great  consternation  among  the 
islanders,  and  caused  them  to  run  off  quaking  and  trembling. 
Their  terror  was  still  greater  at  the  discharge  of  a  camion, 
which  was  fired  at  the  desire  of  the  king.     Tney  all  with  one 
aocord,  accompanied  by  his  majesty,  fled  to  the  woods ;  "  but 
not  long  after  they  came  againe,  scarce  halfe  well  assured."* 
On  the  25th,  three  of  the  navigators  again  tried  to  barter 
f<»r  hogs,  but  were  unsuccessful.    The  king,  howev^ri  "  after 


*  Purcbasj  vol.  i.,  p.  9(^  100. 


i    V. 


96     CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   AND  DISCOVERIES 


''i 


•  -f 


tl 


he  had  said  his  prayers,  which  he  used  to  doe  every  time  that 
they  went  on  shore,"  showed  much  kindness  towards  them. 
On  the  36th,  Jacob  Le  Maire  landed,  and  made  some  trifling 
presents.  He  met  with  much  respect,  though  he  failed  to 
procure  a  supply  of  stock.  The  ariki  and  his  son  bestowed 
upon  him  and  his  companion  a  head-dress,  consisting  of  feath' 
era  of  various  colours,  which  they  themselves  wore.  This  cap 
seems  to  have  been  a  mark  of  honour  peculiar  to  the  king  and 
his  family ;  while  every  member  of  his  council  was  distin- 
guished by  having  a  dove  sitting  on  a  perch  beside  him.  On 
the  e^rening  of  the  27th,  some  fish  which  had  been  caught 
during  the  day  were  presented  to  his  majesty,  who  immedi- 
ately devoured  them  raw,  "  heads,  tails,  entrails  and  all,  with 
good  appetite."  The  night  closed  in  festivities,  some  of  the 
Hollanders  remaining  on  shore,  and  mingling  in  the  mognlight 
dances  9f  the  natives.  Two  of  the  sailors  performed  a  mock 
fight  with  swords — a  spectacle  which  excited  much  admira^ 
tion  among  the  islanders.  On  the  28th,  the  voyagers,  at- 
tended with  trumpets,  went  on  shore  in  state,  to  visit  the 
king ;  when  they  became  spectators  of  an  interview  between 
him  and  a  neighbouring  prince. 

On  the  29th,  Le  Maire,  accompanied  by  three  of  the  sea" 
men,  made  an  excursion  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  hav- 
ing a  son  imd  a  brother  of  the  ariki  for  guides.  They  saw 
nothing  worthy  of  remark,  except  a  red  earth  used  by  thei" 
natives  for  paint,  and  several  caves  and  holes  in  the  moun- 
tains, with  divers  thickets  and  groves  where  they  lay  in  am-- 
bush  in  time  of  war.  On  their  return,  the  young  nubles  went 
with  the  captain  on  board  his  vessel,  and  evinced  much  satis- 
faction on  bcnng  informed,  that  if  a  few  hogs  and  yams  could- 
be  obtained  the  ship  would  sail  in  two  days.  In  the  after- 
noon, the  monarch,  with  sixteen  of  his  attendants,  appeared 
on  deck  with  the  donation  of  a*^hog  and  a  basket  of  qocoa- 
nuts.  He  delivered  these  with  much  ceremony :  having^ 
placed  the  basket  on  his  neck,  he  prostrated  himself,  and  iir 
this  posture  offered  his  gifts  to  Le  Maire,  who  raised  him  up,, 
and  sat  down  beside  him.  At  the  command  of  the  ariki,  hi» 
people  Ufted  the  Dutch  officer  and  another,  and  placed  them 
upon  their  shoulders  as  a  token  of  reverence.  The  chief 
was  then  conducted  through  the  various  parts  of  the  ship, 
expressing  his  wonder  at  what  he  saw.  When  led  into  the 
hold,  "  he  fell  down  upon  his  face  and  prayed" — a  ceremony 


0VERIE8 

e\ety  time  that 
towardfl  them, 
de  some  trifling 
gh  he  failed  to 
Is  son  bestowed 
isisting  of  feath' 
vote.  This  cap 
'  to  the  king  and 
icil  was  distin- 
eside  him.  On 
id  been  caught 
r,  who  immedi- 
ils  and  all,  with 
es,  some  of  the 
in  the  mognlight 
rformed  a  mock 
much  admira' 
te  voyagers,  at- 
ite,  to  visit  the 
erview  between 

ree  of  the  sea-' 
e  country,  hav- 
es. They  saw 
ih  used  by  thef 
in  the  mouu' 
hey  lay  in  am-- 
ng  nubles  went 
ed  much  satis- 
nd  yams  could 

In  the  after- 
lants,  appeared 
ket  of  cocoa- 
mony:  having 
timself,  and  iir 
raised  him  up,. 
'  the  ariki,  m» 

placed  them 
The  chief 

of  the  ship, 
n  led  into  the 
— a  ceremonjr 


OF  THB   SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 


97 


which  he  performed  when  he  first  came  on  board.  His  at- 
tendants kissed  the  feet  of  the  seamen,  and  placed  them  on 
their  own  heads  and  necks,  in  sign  of  an  entire  submission. 
In  the  evening,  one  of  the  Europeans  having  been  successful 
in  taking  a  quantity  of  fish,  went  to  present  some  to  the  king, 
when  he  found  a  number  of  girls  dancing  to  the  music  of  a 
hollow  piece  of  wood  like  a  pump,  '*  which  made  a  noyse, 
whoreat  the  yong  wenches  danced  after  their  manner,  very 
finely,  and  with  a  good  grace,  according  to  the  measure  of 
the  noyse  of  the  instrument."* 

The  king,  on  the  morning  of  the  30th,  sent  to  the  ship  two 
small  hogs.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  he  received  a 
visit  from  a  neighbouring  ariki,  who  ,was  accompanied  by  300 
men,  bringing  with  them  sixteen  hogs.  As  the  stranger  chief 
drew  near  to  his  brother  sovereign,  he  began  at  some  distance 
to  perform  strange  ceremonies,  and  bowing  down  his  body  fell 
to  the  ground  on  his  face,  and  remained  there  **  praying"  with 
a  loud  voice,  and  apparently  with  great  fervour.  The  native 
prince  advanced  to  meet  his  visiter,  and  went  through  the 
same  forms.  "  After  much  adoe,  they  both  rose  up  on  their 
feete,  and  went  and  sate  together  under  the  king's  belai/f  and 
there  were  assembled  together  at  least  900  men."  In  the  af- 
ternoon the  Dutch  saw  a  kava-feast.  A  number  of  the  peo- 
ple having  chewed  the  kava  (a  sort  of  green  herb)  in  their 
mouths  for  some  time,  deposited  it  in  a  wooden  vessel ;  they 
then  poured  water  on  it,  and,  having  stirred  it,  the  liquor  was 
partaken  of  by  the  arikis  and  their  attendants.  The  islanders, 
says  the  Journal  of  Schouten,  *'  presented  that  notable  drinke 
(as  a  speciall  and  a  goodly  present)  to  our  men ;  but  they  had 
enough,  and  more  than  enough,  of  the  sight  thereof't  On 
this  occasion,  likewise,  the  discoverers  observed  the  manner 
in  which  these  savages  cooked  their  hogs.  Sixteen  were 
prepared  for  the  present  banquet  as  follows :  being  ripped  up, 
the  entrails  removed,  and  the  hair  singed  off,  they  were  roasted 
by  means  of  hot  stones  placed  in  the  internal  cavity. 

Each  of  the  arikis  presented  to  the  foreigners  one  of  the 
hogs  thus  dressed,  with  a  number  of  the  same  animals  alive ; 
receiving  in  return  "three  copper  beakers,  foure  knives, 
twelve  old  nayles,  and  some  beades,  wherewith  they  were' well 
pleased." 


*  Parchas,  vol.  i.,  p.  too. 


flbid. 


} 


98     CIRCUMNAVIQATIONS   AND  DISCOVERIES 


I    I 


.;  ! 


^1 


i, 
i 

i 


!'* 


Early  on  the  morning  of  the  31st,  preparations  were  made 
for  sailing.  After  breakfast,  the  two  chiefs  came  on  board 
with  six  additional  hogs.  On  this  occasion  they  wore  green 
cocoa-tree  leaves  round  their  necks,  which  it  was  presumed 
was  customary  with  them  in  taking  leave  of  friends.  They 
were  entertained  with  wine,  and  received  presents  of  various 
articles ;  while  a  nail  was  bestowed  on  each  of  their  attend- 
ants. Le  Maire  accompanied  them  on  shore,  when  gifts  were 
once  more  exchanged.  At  noon  the  ship  proceeded  on  her 
voyage,  and  the  Hollanders  bade  adieu  to  the  natives,  on 
whose  island  they  bestowed  the  name  of  Hoom,  in  honour  of 
the  birthplace  of  Schouten.  The  inhabitants  are  described  as 
of  large  stature  and  well-proportioned  Umbs.  They  ran  swift- 
ly, and  were  very  expert  in  swimming  and  diving.  Theii 
complexion  was  a  tawny  yellow,  approaching  to  the  hue  of 
bronze.«  Much  care  was  bestowed  on  the  (Lressing  of  their 
hair,  and  they  arranged  it  in  several  different  manners.  The 
ariki  had  a  long  lock  hanging  down  to  his  thighs,  and  twisted 
into  knots ;  his  attendants  wore  two  such  locks,  one  on  each 
side ;  and  some  of  the  islanders  had  four  or  five.  The  females 
are  described  as  having  a  very  repulsive  appearance  and  being 
of  small  stature;  they  wore  their  hair  cut  closely  to  their 
heads.  Such  of  the  habitations  as  were  seen  along  the  mar- 
gin of  the  land  were  of  nearly  a  conical  form,  about  twenty- 
five  feet  in  circumference,  ten  or  twelve  in  height,  and  cov- 
ered with  leaves.  Their  furniture  consisted  of  a  bundle  of 
dried  herbs  resembling  hay,  which  served  for  a  couch,  one  or 
two  fishing-rods,  and  sometimes  a  wooden  club  or  staff.  The 
hut  of  the  ariki  himself  could  boast  no  further  decorations. 
"Wo  could  not  perceive,"  says  the  Journal  of  Schouten, 
"  that  they  worshipped  God,  or  any  gods,  or  used  any  devo- 
tion, neither  the  one  nor  the  other,  but  lived  without  care  like 
birds  in  the  wood."^  It  appeared  to  them  also  that  the  in- 
habitants subsisted  on  the  spontaneous  fruits  of  the  soil : 
"  They  neither  sowe  nor  reape,  nor  doe  any  worke ;  there  the 
earth  of  itselfe  yeelds  all  that  they  need  to  sustaine  their  lives, 

• 

*  Purcbas,  vol.  i.,  p.  101.  On  this  passage  it  must  be  remarlcecl,  tbat 
the  raufe  of  their  observation  was  very  limited,  and  can  by  no  means  be 
admitted  as  proof  that  these  islanders  had  no  religion ;  though  the 
"  prayers,"  wliich  the  arilii  is  so  often  described  as  using,  apparently 
meant,  not  devotional  adorations,  but  words  of  ceremony. 


•^.      «*■' 


^OVERIES 


OF  THE    SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY. 


99 


ions  were  made 
came  on  board 
hey  wore  green 
;  was  presumed 
friends.     They 
)ents  of  various 
of  their  attend- 
ivhen  gifts  were 
)cecded  on  her 
the  natives,  on 
m,  in  honour  of 
tre  described  as 
rhey  ran  swift- 
diving.     Their 
to  the  hue  of 
easing  of  their 
nanners.     The 
hs,  and  twisted 
:s,  one  on  each 
The  females 
mce  and  being 
losely  to  their 
Jong  the  mar- 
about twenty- 
light,  and  cov- 
f  a  bundle  of 
couch,  one  or 
ir  staff.     The 
decorations. 
|of  Schouten, 
led  any  devo- 
lout  care  like 
that  the  in- 
of  the  soil: 
c;  there  the 
e  their  lives, 


Iremarked,  that 
|y  no  means  be 
though  the 
ig,  apparently 


....    so  that  there  men  may  plainly  behold  and  see  the 
golden  world  whereof  the  poets  write."* 

On  leaving  Hoom,  the  adventurers  pursued  a  northwest- 
erly course,  and  on  the  21st  of  June  fell  in  with  a  group  of 
small  islands  covered  with  trees.  Some  of  the  natives  came 
off  to  the  ship  in  canoes  :  they  are  described  as  in  all  respects 
resembling  the  inhabitants  of  the  former  place,  except  in  their 
complexion,  which  was  of  a  more  dusky  hue,  and  in  their 
arms,  which  were  bows  and  arrows,  the  first  that  the  voyagers 
had  seen  in  the  South  Sea.  Some  beads  and  nails  were  pre- 
sented to  them,  who,  having  nothing  to  give  in  recompense, 
pointed  to  the  west,  to  signify  that  their  king  dwelt  there,  in  a 
country  abounding  vdth  every  species  of  wealth.  The  next 
day,  sailing  in  the  same  course,  they  passed  at  least  twelve 
or  thirteen  islands  grouped  together ;  and  on  the  24th  discov- 
ered three  low  ones,  which,  from  their  being  "  very  green  and 
full  of  trees,'*  they  named  the  Green.  Another  was  in  sight, 
on  which  were  discerned  seven  or  eight  hovels.  This  they 
named  St.  John's,  from  their  having  seen  it  on  the  24th  of 
June,  the  nativity  of  the  Baptist.  On  the  morning  of  the 
25th,  they  obtained  a  view  towarda  the  southwest  of  a  high 
land,  which  they  conjectured  to  be  the  point  of  New  Guinea, 
but  which  in  reality  was  the  country  since  called  New  Ire- 
land. About  noon  they  drew  near  to  it,  and  sailed  along  the 
shore  in  a  northwesterly  direction.  The  coast  is  described 
as  very  high  and  green,  and  of  a  pleasant  aspect.  The  inhab- 
itants spoke  a  language  totally  different  from  that  used  by  the 
natives  of  all  the  other  places  at  which  the  vessel  had  touched. 
The  ship's  boat,  when  employed  in  sounding  for  an  anchorage, 
was  attacked  by  a  party  in  canoes  with  volleys  of  stones 
thrown  from  slings ;  but  a  fire  of  musketry  speedily  put  the 
ravages  to  flight.  In  the  evening,  after  the  vessel  had  an- 
chored, some  others  came  off,  and  addressed  the  sailors  in  a 
dial^f^t  which  they  did  not  understand.     They  remained 

*  Purchas,  vol.  i.,  p.  101.    This  passage  may  perhaps  remind  the 
reader  of  some  lines  in  Lord  Byron's  poem  of  "  The  lalarUT— 

"  The  bread-tree,  which  without  the  ploughshare  yields 
llieunreap'd  harvest  of  unfurrow'd  fields.    .    .    .       ' 

lands    ....  '      t.    . 

Where  all  partake  the  earth  without  dispute, 

And  bread  itself  is  gather'd  as  a  firuit. 

Where  none  contest  the  fields,  the  woods,  the  streams,—* 

Tke  goldless  age  where  gold  disturbs  no  dreams !" 


100  CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND  DISCOVERIES 


t. '  ■' 


ft  *i-J 


* 


\'\ 


watching  tho  ship  all  night,  and  the  Europeans  perceived  sig- 
nal-fires lighted  along  the  ^ore.  In  the  mornings,  eight  skins 
arranged  themselves  round  her ;  one  of  them  containing  eleven, 
and  the  others  from  four  to  seven  men  each.  The  Dutch 
threw  beads  to  them,  and  made  friendly  signs ;  but  the  sav- 
ages all  at  once  commenced  an  attack  with  their  slings  and 
other  weapons.  The  assault  was  returned  with  discharges  of 
cannon  and  muskets,  whereby  ten  or  twelve  were  killed.  At 
the  s&me  time  thev  captured  fo"r  canoes,  and  made  three 
prisoners,  one  of  whom  died  shortly  after  he  was  taken  ;  and 
at  noon  the  two  others  were  carried  towards  the  land  in  order 
to  be  exchanged  for  provisions.  A  pig  and  a  bunch  of  bana- 
nas were  thus  procured,  and  one  of  the  captives  was  set  at 
liberty.  Two  days  after,  some  of  them  came  to  the  ship,  but 
refused  to  ransom  their  countiyman ;  and  on  the  evening  of 
that  day  the  Eendracht  proceeded  along  the  coast  in  a  north- 
westerly direction.  Several  islands  were  seen  to  the  north- 
ward ;  and  on  the  1st  of  July  she  again  came  to  anchor,  hav- 
ing an  island  about  two  leagues  long  on  the  north,  and  the 
coast  of  New  Ireland  on  the  south.  Here  twenty-five  canoes 
commenced  an  attack,  but  were  repulsed,  a  number  of  the  na- 
tives being  killed,  and  one  taken.  Here,  too,  one  of  the  Hol- 
landers was  wounded,  "  being,"  says  the  Journal,  "  the  first 
that  was  hurt  in  all  our  voyage ;"  and  after  him  the  captive 
was  named  Moses.  They  continued  to  sail  along  this  coast 
till  the  3d,  when  they  lost  sight  of  it ;  and  having  passed 
several  small  islands,  on  the  6th  they  came  in  sight  of  the 
northern  coast  of  New  Guinea.  About  the  middle  of  Sep- 
tember they  arrived  at  the  Moluccas,  whence,  in  the  end 
of  that  month,  they  sailed  to  Java.  On  the  1st  of  Novem- 
ber, while  lying  off  Jacatra,  the  Eendracht  was  confis- 
cated by  the  Dutch  East  India^  Company,  on  the  ground  that 
the  owners  were  not  partners  of  that  body,  and  had  made  the 
voyage  without  their  leave.  Their  ship  being  thus  taken 
from  them,  several  of  the  seamen  entered  into  the  service  of 
the  company,  and  the  remainder  embarked  for  Europe  on 
board  the  Amsterdam  and  Zealand,  which  sailed  from  Ban- 
tam on  the  14th  of  December.  Le  Maire  died  a  few  days 
after  leaving  Java ;  but  the  rest  of*  the  voyagers  arrived  safely 
on  the  1st  July,  1617,  having  been  absent  from  their  native 
country  two  years  and  seventeen  days. 
The  finding  of  this  new  passage  into  the  Pacific  excited 


i 


OF  THE   SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY.       101 


le  service 


ft 

■i 


acific  excited 


much  interest  in  Europe.  To  Spain  it  caused  more  alarm 
than  any  of  the  hostile  armaments  which  Holland  had  sent 
forth  against  her  South  Sea  possessions,  and  no  time  was  lost 
in  fitting  out  an  expedition  to  explore  the  new  discoveries  of 
Schouten  and  Le  Maire.  The  command  was  intrusted  to  two 
brothers,  Bartolome  Gracia  de  Nodal  and  Gon9alo  de  Nodal, 
who,  having  engaged  several  Dutch  pilots,  set  sail  from  Lis- 
bon 27th  September,  1618.  They  followed  the  track  of  the 
late  adventurers,  and  in  passing  Cape  Horn  saw  some  small 
rocky  islands  lying  to  the  southwestward  of  that  promontory, 
and  named  them  the  Isles  of  Diego  Ramirez.  They  then 
steered  southward,  and,  penetrating  the  Straits  of  Magellan, 
completed  the  circunmavigation  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  ar- 
rived at  Spain  in  July,  1619. 

Contemporaneously  with  the  discovery  of  Cape  Horn,  the 
Dutch  efifected  another  of  still  greater  importance,  that  of  the 
vast  island  or  rather  continent  of  New  Holland  or  Australia. 
It  does  not  fall  within  the  limits  of  this  work  to  enter  on  the 
difficult  question  how  far  this  country  was  known  to  the  early 
Portuguese  voyagers.  Neither  is  it  in  our  province  to  decide 
whether  the  honour  of  its  discovery  is  not  due  to  Luis  Vaez 
de  Torres,  who,  in  sailing  between  New  Holland  and  New 
Guinea,  saw  land  on  the  south,  which  must  have  been  part  of 
this  great  island.*  It  may  be  doubted  if  the  Portuguese  were 
aware  of  the  nature  of  the  lands  they  are  said  to  have  visited ; 
it  is  certain,  moreover,  that  Torres  conceived  them  to  be 

{)arts  of  a  large  archipelago ;  and,  at  all  events,  these  visits 
ed  to  no  beneficial  result,  and  had  passed  into  oblivion.  The 
honour  of  discoviering  New  Holland,  therefore,  so  far  as  util- 
ity and  the  advancement  of  science  are  concerned,  may  be 
safely  awarded  to  the  Dutch.  In  October,  1616,  the  ship 
Eendracht,  commanded  by  Dirck  Hatichs  (or,  as  it  has  been 
more  commonly,  but  less  correctly  written,  Hertoge),  in  her 
passage  from  Holland  to  the  East  Indies,  discovered  in  lati- 
tude 25°,  the  western  coast  of  Australia,  and  called  it  Land 
Eendracht,  a  name  which  it  still  retains. 

Only  a  few  years  elapsed  after  the  completion  of  the  voy- 

S'P  of  Schouten  and  Le  Maire  before  another  armament  left 
oUand  for  the  South  Sea.    The  truce  which  for  twelve 
years  had  subsisted  between  Spain  and  the  United  Provinces 

'    '    -     :^      -  *  See  above,  p.  8S. 

12 


k^s\ 


102  CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND  DISCOVERIES 


!.  -a 


h    i\ 


V 


having  expired  in  1621,  both  parties  hastened  to  resume  ac- 
tive hostilities.  Among  other  measures,  the  Dutch,  early  in 
the  year  1623,  fitted  out  a  naval  armament  against  Peru  ;  and 
it  is  to  the  proceedings  of  this  fleet  that  we  have  now  to  di- 
rect the  reader's  attention.  It  consisted  of  eleven  ships, 
mounting  294  cannon,  and  supplied  with  1637  men,  of  whom 
600  were  soldiers.  The  command  was  intrusted  to  Jacob 
I'Hermite,  an  officer  who  had  acquired  celebrity  in  the  service 
of  their  East  India  Company ;  and  the  squadron,  which,  in 
honour  of  Prince  Maurice  of  Nassau,  one  of  its  chief  promo- 
ters, was  named  the  Nassau  Fleet,  sailed  from  Goree  on  the 
29th  April,  1623. 

On  the  1 1th  August  they  anchored  off  Sierra  Leone,  and 
remained  there  till  the  beginning  of  September.  Durinff 
their  stay  they  experienced  the  fatal  effects  of  that  pestilential 
cUmat^  from  wliich  Europeans  have  since  suffered  so  much. 
They  buried  forty-two  men,  and  many  more  suffered  severely, 
among  whom  was  the  Admiral  PHermite,  who  contracted  a 
disease  from  which  he  never  recovered.  After  leaving  this 
coast,  they  visited  the  islands  of  San  Tomas  and  Annabon, 
at  the  latter  of  which  they  remained  till  the  beginning  of  No- 
vember. It  was  in  their  instructions,  that  they  should  not 
touch  at  any  part  of  the  South  American  continent  northward 
of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  and  that  they  should  penetrate  into  the 
South  Sea  by  the  newly-discovered  Strait  of  Le  Maire,  which 
was  considered  to  afford  a  more  certain  passage  than  the 
Straits  of  Magellan.  It  was  the  first  of  February  before  they 
made  the  Cape  de  Penas  on  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  on  the  2d 
they  entered  Strait  Le  Maire,  which  the  Journal  of  the  Voy- 
age says  they  would  not  have  known,  had  not  one  of  the  pilots 
who  had  previously  passed  through  it  recognised  the  high 
mountains  on  Tierra  del  Fuego.^  Some  of  the  ships  anchored 
in  two  bays  near  the  northern  entrance,  which  they  named 
Verschoor  and  Valentine,  and  are  the  same  with  the  Port 
Mauritius  of  modem  maps  and  the  Bay  of  Good  Success. 

Although  the  whole  fleet  had  passed  through  the  strait  just 
described  on  the  evening  of  the  2d  of  February,  yet,  owing 
to  contrary  vrinds,  they  were  on  the  14th  still  seven  leagues 
eastward  of  Cape  Horn.  The  next  day  they  doubled  that 
promontory,  and  saw  "  a  great  eulf  between  that  cape  and 
the  cape  next  to  the  west,"  which  they  were  prevented  from 
entering  by  bad  weather.    On  the  16th  Cape  Horn  lay  to  the 


I 


3VERIE8 


OF  THE   SEVENTEENTH    CENTURY. 


103 


eastward,  and  they  discovered  two  islands,  which,  according 
to  their  reckoning,  were  distant  to  the  westward  fourteen  or 
fifteen  leagues.  The  following  morning  thev  perceived  that 
they  had  lost  ground,  and  fearing  that  they  should  still  fall  to 
leeward,  they  entered  a  large  bay  and  cast  anchor.  In  this 
harbour,  which  waa  afterward  named  Nassau  Bay,  they  re- 
mained ten  days.  On  the  23d,  some  boats,  which  were  sent 
to  procure  water,  were  compelled  by  a  sudden  and  violent 
storm  to  return,  leaving  nineteen  of  the  crew  on  shore  wholly 
destitute  of  arms,  of  whom  next  day  only  two  were  found 
alive.  The  savages,  it  appeared,  as  soon  as  night  came  on, 
attacked  them  with  clubs  and  slings,  and  killed  all  except  the 
two,  who  had  contrived  to  conceal  themselves.  Only  five 
bodies  were  discovered,  some  of  which  were  cut  into  quar- 
ters, and  others  strangely  mangled.  Not  a  single  native  was 
seen  after  this  unfortunate  event.  A  party  which  had  been 
sent  to  examine  the  neighbouring  coast,  reported  that  the 
Tierra  del  Fuego  was  divided  into  several  islands ;  that  with- 
out doubling  Cape  Horn  a  passage  into  the  South  Sea  might 
be  effected,  through  the  Bay  or  rather  Gulf  of  Nassau,  which 
was  open  to  the  east  as  well  as  to  the  west ;  and  that  through 
some  of  these  numerous  openings  it  was  presumed  ships  mignt 
penetrate  into  the  Strait  ot  Magellan.  Such  parts  of  the  Tierra 
del  Fuego  as  were  seen  appeared  decidedly  mountainous, 
though  not  wanting  in  many  fine  valleys  and  watered  mead- 
ows. The  hills  were  clad  with  trees,  all  of  which  were  bent 
eastward,  owing  to  the  strong  westerly  winds  which  prevail 
in  these  parts.  Spacious  harbours,  capable  of  sheltering  the 
largest  fleets,  were  frequently  observed  between  the  islands. 
The  natives  are  described  as  differing  little  in  stature  from  the 
people  of  Europe,  and  as  being  well  proportioned  in  their 
limbs.  Their  hair  is  long,  black,  and  thick,  their  teeth  "  as 
sharp  as  the  blade  of  a  knife."  They  paint  their  bodies  of 
different  colours  and  with  fanciful  devices ;  their  natural  com- 
plexion, however,  seemed  to  be  as  fair  as  that  of  a  European. 
Some  of  them  were  observed  to  have  one  side  of  their  body  alto- 
gether white,  and  the  opposite  entirely  red ;  others  were  re- 
marked with  the  trunks  of  their  bodies  wldte,  and  the  face, 
arms,  and  legs  coloured  red.  The  males  were  perfectly 
naked ;  the  females,  who  were  painted  like  the  men,  wore 
only  a  little  piece  of  skin  about  the  waist,  and  a  strinff  of 
eihella  round  their  neck.    Their  huts  were  constructed  of 


104     CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   AND  DISCOVERIES 


*•■  I 


!   'i    1 1       I," 


Han  of  Terra  del  Fuego. 


trees,  in  a  conical  form,  having  an  opening  at  the  top  to  let 
the  smoke  escape ;  the  floor  was  sunk  two  or  three  feet  be- 
low the  level  of  the  ground  ;  and  the  sides  of  the  walls  were 
covered  with  earth.  Their  j^shing-tackle  consisted  of  lines, 
stone  hooks,  and  harpoons,  which  were  generally  fabricated 
with  some  degree  of  neatness.  For  arms  they  had  sharp  knives 
made  of  stone  ;  slings,  bows,  and  arrows  with  stone  heads ; 
lances  pointed  with  bone,  and  clubs.  Their  canoes  meas- 
ured in  length  from  ten  to  sixteen  feet,  and  about  two  in 
width ;  they  were  built  of  the  bark  of  large  trees,  resembling 
in  shape  the  gondolas  of  Venice.  In  regard  to  their  manners 
and  haibits,  the  report  is  very  unfavourable :  they  more  re- 
semble beasts  than  human  beings ;  *'  for  besides  that  they 
tear  men  to  pieces,  and  devour  the  flesh  raw  and  bloody,  there 


'^1 


SCOVBRIES 


OF  THE   SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY.       105 


it  the  top  to  let 
ir  three  feet  be- 
'  the  walls  were 
nsisted  of  lines, 
erally  fabricated 
lad  sharp  knives 
1  stone  heads ; 

canoes  meas- 
1  about  two  in 
ees,  resembling 
0  their  manners 

they  more  re- 
sides that  they 
id  bloody,  there 


f 


1 


was  not  perceived  among  them  the  smallest  indication  of  a 
religion  or  government ;  on  the  contrary,  they  live  together 
like  beasts."* 

The  fleet  left  Nassau  Bay  on  the  27th  February,  and  for 
some  time  met  with  westerly  winds,  so  that  they  did  not  reach 
the  Island  of  Juan  Fernandez  till  the  beginning  of  April. 
Having  taken  in  water  here,  they  sailed  on  the  13th  for  the 
coast  of  Peru,  and  on  the  8th  of  May  were  off  Callao,  where 
they  remained  until  the  14th  of  August.  On  the  2d  of  June, 
Jacob  I'Hermite,  the  admiral,  died  of  the  lingering  illness  con- 
tracted at  Sierra  Leone,  which  was  aggravated  by  the  hard> 
ships  and  misfortunes  of  the  expedition.  He  was  buried  on 
the  Island  of  Lima,  the  Isla  de  San  Lorenzo  of  modem 
charts ;  and  the  vice-admiral,  Hugo  Schappenham,  succeeded 
to  the  command.  On  leaving  Callao  they  proceeded  north- 
ward, and  after  various  delays  arrived  at  Acapulco  on  the  28th 
of  October.  Here  they  remained  some  time,  and  having  at 
last  finally  resolved  to  proceed  westward  to  reach  the  Indies, 
on  the  29th  of  November  they  bade  adieu  to  the  shores  of 
Mexico,  and  directed  their  course  across  the  Pacific. 

On  the  evening  of  the  25th  January,  1625,  they  came  in 
sight  of  Guahan,  one  of  the  Ladrones  or  Marians,  having  on 
the  15th  passed  some  islands  supposed  by  them  to  be  those 
of  Gaspar  Rico,  but  which  more  probably  belonged  to  the 
group  San  Bartolome,  discovered  in  1526  by  Loyasa.f 
They  left  Guahan  on  the  1 1th  of  February,  and  in  the  begin- 
ning of  March  arrived  at  the  Moluccas,  where  the  fleet  hav- 
ing been  broken  up,  the  expedition  may  be  said  to  have  ter- 
minated. The  admiral,  Schappenham,  embarked  in  the  Een- 
dracht  for  Holland,  but  died  while  off  the  coast  of  Java.  The 
vessel  proceeded  on  her  voyage,  and  on  the  9th  of  July,  1626, 
anchored  in  the  Texel ;  having  the  first  journalist  of  the  ex- 
pedition on  board,  who  thus  reached  his  native  country  after 
an  absence  of  three  years  and  seventy  days.  This  armament 
failed  in  effecting  the  hostile  designs  with  which  it  was  un- 
dertaken, and  was  nearly  as  unsuccessful  in  adding  to  mari- 
time science.  It  contributed  little  or  nothing  to  geography 
but  the  knowledge  of  Nassau  Bay,  and  a  more  accurate  ex- 
amination of  the  southern  shores  of  Tierra  del  Fuego. 

*  Barney,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  15. 
t  See  above,  p.  S5;  and  Burney,  Cbron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  33, 
and  vol.  i.,  p.  138. 


106    CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND  DISCOVERIES 


■    ! 


y  ^  ^i 


■\ 


The  discovery  of  New  Holland,  which  had  been  com* 
menced  by  Dirck  Hatichs,  continued  for  many  years  to  be 
occasionally  prosecuted  by  the  Dutch  ;  but  not  before  1642 
was  it  ascertained  what  were  its  southern  limits,  or  how  far 
it  extended  to  the  eastward.  This  was  effected,  at  least 
within  a  rude  degree  of  accuracy,  by  Abel  Jansen  Tasman, 
one  of  the  most  illustrious  of  the  Dutch  navigators,  who 
found  a  generous  and  liberal  patron  in  Anthony  Van  Diemen, 
the  governor  of  Batavia.* 

The  expedition,  which  was  fitted  out  by  him  and  his  council, 
sailed  from  Batavia  on  the  14th  August,  1642.  On  the  24th 
November  they  discovered  Anthony  Van  Diemen's  Land,  so 
named,  says  Tasman,  "  in  honour  of  our  high  magistrate,  the 

governor-general,  who  sent  us  out  to  muce  discoveries  ;** 
ley  continued  to  coast  alon^  that  island  till  the  6th  Decem- 
ber, when  they  directed  their  course  to  the  eastward.  On 
the  13th  a  shore  was  discovered,  to  which  Tasman  gave 
the  name  of  Staats  or  Staten  Land,  from  a  belief  that  it  was  a 
part  of  the  country  of  the  same  name  discovered  by  Schouten 
and  Le  Maire,  to  the  east  of  Tierra  del  Fuego ;  but  the 
name  was  afterward  changed  into  New  Zealand.  During 
his  progress  along  the  coast,  he  was  attacked  by  the  savages 
with  that  courage  and  ferocity  which  later  navigators  have  so 
fatally  experienced. 

For  some  time  after  leaving  New  Zealand  the  ships  pur- 
sued a  northeasterly  course,  till  on  the  19th  of  January  they 
reached  a  high  island,  two  or  three  miles  in  circumference, 
on  which  they  bestowed  the  name  of  Pylstaart  or  Tropic- 
bird,  from  the  number  of  these  fowls  which  frequented  it. 
On  the  21st  two  more  were  discovered,  distant  from  each 
other  about  a  mile  and  a  half.  The  northern  was  named  Am- 
sterdam, because,  says  Tasman,  "  we  found  plenty  of  pro- 

*  For  many  years  the  only  account  of  Tasman's  voyage  was  to  be 
found  in  a  curtailed  abridgment  of  his  journal,  published  at  Amsterdam 
in  1674,  and  a  more  copious  relation  inserted  in  Valentyn's  East  Indian  De- 
Rcriiitions.  About  1771,  however,  a  MS.  journal  of  Tasman  (supposed  to 
be  the  original)  fell  into  the  hands  of  Sir  Joseph  Banlcs,  and  was  found  to 
be  much  more  complete  than  uny  previous  narrative.  An  English  trans- 
lation, executed  in  1776  by  the  Rev.  C.  O.  Woide,  was  published  by  Bur- 
ney.— Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  iil.,  p.  63-110.  The  journal  thus  com- 
mences:—"  Journal  or  Description  by  me,  Abel  Jansz  Tasman,  of  a 
Voyage  flrom  Kalavia  for  mailing  Dii^coveries  of  the  unknown  South  Lnnd, 
in  the  year  1643.  May  God  Almighty  bs  pleased  to  give  his  Illessiii|{ 
to  this  Voyage !    Amen." 


COVERIES 


OF  THE   SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY.       107 


had  been  com* 
lany  years  to  be 
not  before  1642 
itnits,  or  how  far 
iflected,  at  least 
Jansen  Tasman, 
navigators,  who 
ny  Van  Diemen, 

II  and  his  council, 
2.  On  the  24th 
emends  Land,  so 
h  magistrate,  the 
ke  discoveries;" 
the  6th  Decem- 
!  eastward.  On 
h  Tasman  gave 
)hef  that  it  was  a 
red  by  Schouten 
Fuego ;  but  the 
ealand.  During 
.  by  the  savages 
vigators  have  so 

the  ships  pur- 
of  January  they 
circumference, 
lart  or  Tropic- 
frequented  it. 
tant  from  each 
(ras  named  Am- 
plenty  of  pro- 
voyage  was  to  be 
led  at  Amsteidam 
8  East  Indian  De- 
man  (supposed  to 
and  was  round  to 
Ln  English  trans- 
ublished  by  Bur- 
)urnal  thus  com- 
iz  Tasman,  of  a 
)wn  South  Lnnd, 
ive  his  Dlessiit|| 


Yisions  there  ;"  and  to  the  southern  they  gave  the  title  of 
Middleburgh.  By  the  natives,  the  latter  is  called  Eooa,  and 
the  former  Tongataboo  ;  and  the  one  last  mentioned  is  the 
principal  of  the  cluster  now  called  the  Friendly  Islands,  Some 
of  the  savages  approached  in  a  canoo  :  they  are  described  as 
exceeding  the  common  stature  of  Europeans,  of  a  brown 
complexion,  and  wearing  no  other  dress  than  a  slight  cover- 
ing round  the  waist.  They  called  out  loudly  to  the  voyagers, 
who  shouted  in  return,  and  after  showing  them  some  white 
linen,  threw  a  piece  overboard.  Before  the  canoe  reached  the 
spot,  the  cloth  had  begun  to  sink  ;  but  one  of  the  natives 
dived  in  pursuit  of  it,  and  after  remaining  a  long  time  under 
water  brought  up  the  linen,  and,  in  token  of  his  gratitude, 
placed  it  several  times  on  his  heacl.  They  also  gave  them 
some  beads,  nails,  and  looking-glasses ;  these  the  islanders 
applied  in  like  manner,  and  in  return  presented  a  small  line 
and  a  fishing  hook  made  of  shell  like  an  anchovy.  The 
Dutch  in  vain  tried  to  make  them  understand  that  they  wanted 
fresh  water  and  hogs.  In  the  afternoon,  however,  they  were 
observed  in  great  numbers  running  along  the  shore  displaving 
white  flags :  these  were  construed  as  signs  of  peace,  and  re- 
turned by  a  similar  token  hoisted  on  the  stern.  On  this,  a  ca- 
noe bearing  white  colours  came  off  to  the  ship.  It  contained 
four  individuals  with  coverings  of  leaves  round  their  necks, 
and  with  their  bodies  painted  black  from  the  waist  to  the  thigh. 
From  the  nature  of  their  present,  which  consisted  of  some 
cloth  made  of  the  bark  of  a  tree,  and  from  the  superiority  of 
their  vessel,  it  was  conceived  that  they  came  from  the  chief  or 
sovereign.  The  officers  bestowed  upon  them  a  mirror,  a  knife, 
spikes,  and  a  piece  of  linen  ;  a  glass  was  also  filled  with  wine, 
and  having  been  drunk  off,  was  again  filled  and  offered  to  the 
natives  ;  but  they  poured  the  liquor  out,  and  carried  the  glass 
on  shore.  Shortly  after,  many  canoes  arrived  to  barter  cocoa- 
nuts  for  nails.  A  grave  old  man,  who,  from  the  great  respect 
paid  to  him,  seemed  to  be  a  leader,  also  came  on  board,  and 
saluted  the  strangers  by  placing  his  head  upcm  their  feet.  He 
was  presented  with  a  piece  of  linen  and  several  other  articles, 
and  conducted  into  the  cabin.  On  being  shown  a  cup  of 
fresh  water,  he  made  signs  that  there  was  some  on  the  island. 
In  the  evening,  one  of  the  natives  was  detected  in  the  act  of 
stealing  a  pistol  and  a  pair  of  gloves  ;  but  the  mariners  con- 
tented themselves  with  taking  the  things  from  him  "  without 


%i 


M 


II 


<l 


^^ 


#'^ 


108  CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND  DISCOVERIES 


anger."  Towards  sunset,  about  twenty  canoes  came  from 
the  shore  and  drew  up  in  regular  order  near  the  ship ;  the 
people  that  were  in  them  called  out  several  times  in  a  loud 
voice,  "  Woo,  woo,  woo  !"  upon  which  those  who  were  on 
board  sat  down,  and  one  of  the  skiffs  came  alongside  with  a 
present  from  the  king,  consisting  of  a  hog,  cocoanuts,  and 
yams.  A  plate  and  some  brass  wire  were  given  in  return. 
The  exchange  of  provisions  for  nails  continued  until  night, 
when  the  savages  went  back  to  the  shore,  leaving  only  one  of 
their  number.  The  following  morning  they  resumed  their 
station,  and  the  barter  was  renewed.  This  day  several  fe- 
males appeared,  and  it  was  observed  that  the  elder  women 
had  the  little  finger  cut  off  from  both  hands.  The  meaning 
of  this  custom  the  Dutch  could  not  discover ;  but,  as  ap- 

¥  tared  to  them,  it  was  confined  to  the  more  aged  individuals.* 
ho  Wonders  of  the  ship  were  shown  to  the  natives ;  and  one 
of  the  great  guns  was  fired,  which  at  first  occasioned  a  con- 
siderable panic  amonff  them  ;  but,  on  perceiving  that  no  harm 
followed,  they  quickly  recovered  their  couraee.  The  men 
sent  on  shore  to  procure  water,  found  the  wells  so  small  that 
they  were  obligca  to  take  it  up  in  cocoanut  shells.  Next  day, 
they  made  signs  to  the  chief  that  the  fountains  must  be  made 
larger.  He  instantly  ordered  this  to  be  done  by  his  attend- 
ants, and  in  the  meantime  conducted  the  sailors  into  a  pleas- 
ant valley,  where  they  were  seated  on  mats,  and  supplied  with 
cocoanuts,  fish,  and  several  kinds  of  fruit.     The  people  of 

*  Later  voyagers  have  flnind  that  this  is  by  no  means  the  case.  "  The 
.lost  singular  circumstance  which  we  observed  among  thvse  people  was, 
that  many  or  them  wanted  the  little  finger  on  one  and  sometimes  on 
both  hands ;  the  diflbrence  of  sex  or  age  did  not  exempt  ihem  flrom  this 
amputation ;  for  even  among  the  Aew  children  whom  we  saw  running 
about  naked,  the  greater  part  had  already  suflbred  this  loss.  Only  a  Tew 
grown  people,  who  had  preserved  both  their  little  Angers,  werti  an  ex< 
eepiion  to  the  general  rule."— Forster's  Voyage  round  the  World,  vol.  i., 
p.  435.  Of  the  origin  of  this  remarkable  usage,  Forster  sneaks  in  the 
nllowing  aenience:  *'  The  native  told  us  that  a  man  lay  buried  there, 
and,  pointing  to  the  plaoe  where  his  little  finger  bad  (brmerly  been  cut 
away,  he  plainly  signified,  that  when  his  madua$  or  parents  died  they 
mutilated  their  hands."— Ibid.,  vol.  i.,  p.  451.  The  accuracy  of  this  view 
is  doubtful ;  it  is  more  probable  that  the  mutilation  is  made  as  a  propitia* 
tory  sacrifice  to  avert  death.  J.  G.  Dalyell**  Darker  Superatitions  of 
Scotland,  Edinburgb,  1684,  p.  160,  and  authorities  there  quoted.  It  may 
be  addsd,  that  the  rite  is  not  confined  to  the  natives  of  the  Friendly  Isles, 
but  has  been  observed  among  the  Hottentots  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
the  Goaranos  of  Paraguay,  and  the  natives  of  CaUfi>mia. 


:oyERiEs 


OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   109 


inoes  came  from 
lar  the  ship ;  the 
1  times  in  a  loud 
jse  who  were  on 
alongside  with  a 
;,  cocoanuts,  and 
)  given  in  return, 
nued  until  night, 
aving  only  one  of 
By  resumed  their 
8  day  several  fe- 
the  elder  women 
I.  The  meaning 
ver;  but,  as  ap- 
iged  individuals.* 
natives;  and  one 
occasioned  a  con- 
nng  that  no  harm 
rage.  The  men 
ells  so  small  that 
lells.  Next  day, 
ns  must  be  made 
ne  by  his  attend- 
lors  into  a  pleas- 
md  supplied  with 
The  people  of 

ma  the  case.  "The 

ig  th<?Be  people  wu, 

and  sometimeii  on 

mpt  them  flrom  this 

m  we  saw  running 

loss.    Only  a  Tew 

ngers,  were  an  ex« 

the  World,  vol.  i., 

stersneake  in  the 

n  lay  buried  there, 

formerly  been  cut 

parents  died  they 

urncy  of  this  view 

madeasapropitia- 

Superatitions  of 

re  quoted.    It  may 

he  Friendly  Iiles, 

ip«  of  Good  Hope, 

ia. 


Amsterdam  Island,  says  the  captain,  "  have  no  idea  of  tobac* 
CO,  or  of  smoking.  We  saw  no  arms  among  them  ;  so  that 
here  was  altogether  peace  and  friendship.  The  women  wear 
a  covering  of  mat-work  that  reaches  from  the  middle  to  the 
knees  ;  the  rest  of  their  body  is  naked.  They  cut  their  hair 
shorter  than  that  of  the  men."*  Between  the  islanders  and 
these  their  first  European  visiters  there  seems  to  have  existed 
an  uninterrupted  feeling  of  kindly  good-will.  Before  depart- 
ing, Tasman  records,  that  he  "  ordered  a  white  flag  to  be 
brought,  and  we  went  with  it  to  three  of  their  chiefs,  to  whom 
we  explained  that  we  wished  it  to  be  set  up  in  that  valley 
(where  they  had  been  entertained  with  cocoanuts,  fish,  and 
fruits),  and  that  it  might  remain  there  as  a  sign  of  peace  be- 
tween us ;  at  which  they  were  much  pleased,  and  the  flag 
was  fixed  there."  A  display  of  the  same  kindness  on  the  part 
of  the  natives  led  Captain  Cook,  a  century  afterward,  to  be- 
stow on  their  country  the  name  of  the  Friendly  Islands.  This 
visit  of  the  Dutch  was  brought  prematurely  to  a  close,  by  the 
winds  having  driven  one  of  their  vessels  from  her  anchorage. 
A  few  hours'  sail  in  a  northeasterly  direction  brought  the 
voyagers  to  a  cluster  of  islands,  the  largest  of  which,  called 
by  the  natives  Annamooka,  they  named  Rotterdam.  They 
remained  here  some  days,  maintaining  an  amicable  intercourse 
with  the  savages.  During  an  excursion  into  the  interior,  they 
*'  saw  several  pieces  of  cultivated  ground  or  gardens,  where 
the  beds  were  regularly  laid  out  into  squares,  and  planted  with 
different  plants  and  fruits,  bananas,  and  other  trees,  placed  in 
straight  lines,  which  made  a  pleasant  show,  and  spread  round 
about  a  very  agreeable  and  fine  odour."  The  inhabitants  are 
represented  as  resembling  those  of  Amsterdam  Island,  and  so 
addicted  to  thieving  that  they  stole  every  thing  within  their 
reach.  They  appeared  to  possess  no  form  of  government,  and 
to  be  without  a  king  or  chief ;  but  one  of  them  detected  in 
stealing,  was  punished  by  being  beaten  with  an  old  cocoanut 
on  the  back  until  the  nut  broke,  t    They  are  represented  as  en- 

*  Bumey,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  84. 

t  With  regard  to  the  government  of  these  islanders,  there  is  a  discrep- 
ance in  the  Journal  of  Tasman,  which  his  tranHiators  and  commentators 
have  overlooked.  In  giving  a  general  description  of  the  natives,  ho  ex- 
pressly says— "The  people  of  this  island  have  no  king  or  chief."— Bur- 
D«y,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  89.  But,  in  narrating  his  transac- 
tions there,  he  not  only  mentions  the  existence  nf  a  chief,  but  specifies  the 
name  by  which  the  natives  called  him:— "They  took  us,"  he  says  "  to 

A 


'       i 


110  CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  AND  DlSCOVERirS 

tirely  ignorant  of  religion ;  they  practise  no  worship  .  oimI  or* 
without  idols,  relics,  or  priests,  though  thcv  seem  to  oL;>crv« 
some  singular  superstitions.  *'  I  saw  one  of  them,"  siys  Tas* 
man,  **  tSke  up  a  water-snake  which  was  near  his  boat,  and  he 
put  it  respectfully  upon  his  head,  and  then  again  into  the  wa- 
ter. They  kill  no  flies,  though  they  are  very  numerous,  and 
plague  them  extremely.  Our  steersman  accidentally  killed  a  fly 
m  ttie  presence  of  one  of  the  principal  people,  who  could  not 
help  showing  anger  at  it."  He  seems  to  have  formed  a  very 
unfavourable  estimate  of  their  character,  and  styles  them 
**  people  who  have  the  form  of  the  human  species,  but  no  hu- 
man manners." 

On  leaving  this  group,  he  directed  his  course  west  north- 
west, and,  alter  six  days*  sailing,  came  to  about  eighteen  or 
twenty  small  islands,  surrounded  with  shoals  and  sand-banks, 
whicl(  were  named  Prince  William's  Islands  and  Hecmskerke^a 
Shoals,  and  which,  from  the  dangerous  reefs  surrounding  them^ 
have  been  rarely  visited  since  their  furst  discovery.  The  remain- 
der of  his  voyage  possesses  little  interest,  as  his  track  was 
pretty  nearly  the  same  which  had  been  pursued  by  Schouten 
^d  Le  Maire.  He  arrived  at  Batavia  on  the  16th  June,  in  tho 
year  1643,  af^er  an  absence  of  ten  months  and  one  day. 

While  Tasman  was  engaged  in  this  vpyage,  which  ascer* 
tained  the  southern  boundary  of  the  Terra  Australia,  another 
expedition,  fitted  out  by  the  Dutch  West  India  Company  to 
cruise  in  the  South  Sea,  dispelled  the  delusive  notions  which 
had  been  entertained  regarding  the  extent  of  the  §taten  Land 
discovered  by  Schouten  and  his  coUea^e.  The  command  of 
this  enterprise  was  intrusted  to  Hendnck  Brower,  who  sailed 
from  the  Texel  on  the  6th  November,  1642,  and  reached  tho 
entrance  of  Strait  Le  Maire  on  the  fifth  of  March  following. 
The  day  was  very  clear,  and  the  whole  surface  of  Staten  Land 
was  plainly  revealed ;  and,  instead  of  being  part  of  a  large 
continent  extending  to  New  Holland,  it  was  found  to  be  a 
small  island,  nine  or  ten  of  their  miles,  as  they  calculated,  in 


the  east  aide  of  tlie  island,  where  six  large  vesaela  with  masts  were  lying. 
They  then  led  us  to  a  pool  of  water  which  was  ahout  a  mile  in  circum- 
fbrenee ;  hat  we  were  not  yet  come  to  the  aigy  or  latoun^  aa  they  call 
their  chief.  When  we  had  reated,  we  again  asked  where  the  aigy  was, 
and  ihey  pointed  to  the  other  aide  of  the  pool  of  water ;  but  the  day  be- 
ing fhr  advanced,  we  returned  by  another  way  to  oor  boata."— Chron. 
Hist.  Diaeov.,  vtrt.  iii.,  p.88.  Modem  diaooverlaa  have  shown  that  this 
last  panage  Is  correct. 


!0V£RIF8 


OP  THE  8BYBNTE&NTR   ClKTVRT.        Ill 

length.  Tho  winds  were  unfavourablo  for  their  passage 
through  the  strait,  and  they  resolved  to  sail  to  the  east  of 
tho  isle.  This  they  did  without  meeting  any  obstacle,  and 
thence  pursued  the  passage  by  Cape  Hum  into  the  South  Sea, 
where  no  better  fortune  awaited  them  than  had  been  experi- 
enced by  the  ill-fated  Nassau  Fleet.  The  name  of  Brower's 
Strait  was  given  to  the  track  which  he  had  pursued  round  Stat- 
on  Island,  from  a  belief  that  there  existed  lands  to  the  east- 
ward. 

After  this  voyage  a  long  period  elapsed,  marked  by  an  al- 
most total  cessation  of  maritime  enterprise.  In  1644,  it  is 
true,  Tasman  was  again  sent  out,  with  instructions  to  ascer- 
tain whether  New  Guinea,  New  Holland,  and  Van  Diemeii's 
Land  were  one  continent,  or  separated  by  straits.  No  record 
of  his  voyage,  however,  has  been  preserved,  and  if  he  made 
any  discoveries  they  soon  passed  into  oblivion.  In  1676,  a 
merchant  of  the  name  of  Jja  Roche,  bom  in  London  of  French 
parents,  observed,  to  the  east  of  Staten  Land,  an  island  which 
appears  to  be  identical  with  the  New  Georgia  of  Cook ;  and 
these  are  the  only  expeditions  on  record,  from  the  date  of 
Brower*s  voyage  till  we  come  to  the  adventures  of  the  buc- 
aniers,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  century. 

Many  of  these  rovers  became  desirous  of  trying  their 
fortune  in  the  South  Seas,  and  fitted  out  for  that  purpose  a 
vessel  of  eighteen  guns,  in  which  they  sailed  from  the  Ches- 
apeake 23d  August,  1683.  They  were  commanded  by 
Captain  John  Cook,  and  among  their  number  were  several 
who  were  afterward  known  to  tame — William  Dampier,  Ed- 
ward Davis,  Lionel  Wafer,  and  Ambrose  Cowley.  On  the 
coast  of  Guinea  they  captured  a  ship  which  they  christened 
the  Batchelor's  Delight,  and,  having  burnt  their  old  vessel 
"  that  she  might  tell  no  tales,"  embarked  on  board  their  prize. 
In  January,  1684,  they  saw  the  islands  first  visited  by  Davis, 
and  at  that  time  distinguished  by  tho  appellation  of  Sibald  de 
Weert.  The  editor  of  the  joumal  left  by  Cowley,  one  of 
the  historians  of  the  voyage,  anxious  to  flatter  the  secretary 
of  the  admiralty,  represented  these  as  a  new  discovery,  and 
gave  to  them  the  name  of  Pepys — a  circumstance  which  we 
shall  hereafter  see  occasioned  much  perplexity  and  useless 
search.  After  passing  Cape  Hom,  the  bucaniers  touched 
at  Juan  Fernandez,' and  thence  set  sail  for  the  coast  of  Mex- 
ico, having  been  joined  in  the  cruise  by  the  ship  Nicholas  of 


i 


, » 


m 


vi 


\ 

t    t 

V 
•u- 

i 


i' 


^  \ 


112  circtimKavigations  and  discotbries 

London,  under  the  command  of  John  Eaton.    In  July,  Cap- 
tain Cook  died,  and  was  succeeded  as  chief  officer  by  Edwud 
Davis,  and  in  September  Eaton  and  Davis  parted  compaiw — 
the  former,  with  whom  went  Cowley,  sailing  for  the  East 
Indies,  and  the  latter  remaining  in  the  South  Sea.     Shortly 
after  this  event,  Davis  was  joined  by  the  Cygnet,  Captain 
Swan,  as  also  by  a  small  bark,  manned  by  bucaniers ;  and  with 
this  united  force,  which  was  still  further  augmented  by 
French  adventurers,  the  rovers  continued  to  carry  on  their 
depredations  with  varying  success  until  August,  1685.    At 
that  time  serious  dissensions  arose,  and  Swan,  leaving  his. 
consorts,   determined  to  sail  northward  to  the   Califomian 
coast,  with  the  intention  of  proceeding  to  the  East  Indies. 
In  this  voyage  he  was  accompanied  by  Dampier,  who  has  left 
a  narrative  of  the  expedition.     It  was  the  Slst  of  March, 
168^,  before  they  quitted  the  American  coast  and  stood  west- 
ward across  the  Pacific,  nor  did  they  reach  the  Ladrones 
until  May.     After  departing  from  these,  they  visited  in  suc- 
cession the  Bashee  Islands,  the  Philippines,  Celebes,  Timor, 
and  New  Holland.     In  April,  1688,  they  were  at  the  Nicor 
bar  Islands,  and  here  Dampier , quitted  the  expedition,  and 
found  his  way  to  England  in  1691.    The  Cyniet  afterward 
perished  off  Madagascar.     In  the  career  of  Davis,  who,  as 
has  been  mentioned,  remained  in  the  South  Sea,  the  most 
remarkable  event  was  the  discovery  of  an  island  mamed  after 
him,  and  now  generally  identified  with  Easter  Island.    In 
1688,  this  bold  mariner  returned  to  the  West  Indies.* 
•    The  last  ten  years  of  the  seventeenth  century  are  almost 
entirely  barren  of  discovery.     In  1690,  an  expedition,  fitted 
out  partly  for  privateering  partly  for  trading  purposes,  and 
placed  under  the  command  of  Captain  John  Strong,  brought 
to  light,  in  their  course  to  the  South  Sea,  the  passage  be- 
tween the  two  larger  islands  of  the  Falkland  group.     He 
named  this  channel  Falkland  Sound — a  term  which  has  since 
been  generally  applied  to  the  islands  themselves.     In  1699, 
M.  de  Beauchesne  Gouin,  a  French  commander,  detected  an 
island  to  the  east  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  bestowed  on  it 
his  own  name,  which  it  still  retains.     The  /  same  year  was 

**  For  a  minute  narrative  of  this  voyage,  and  an  account  or  the  rise 
and  history  of  the  bucaniers,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Lives  and 
Voyages  of  Drake,  Cavendish,  and  Dampier.— [No.  XXX.  of  the  Family 
Library.] 


SC0VBRIE8 


OF   THE   SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY.       113 


marked  by  a  voyage  under  the  auspices  of  the  British  gov- 
ernment, expressly  for  the  extension  of  geographical  science. 
It  was  placed  under  the  direction  of  Dampier,  and  its  object 
was  the  more  minute  examination  of  New  Holland  and  New 
Guinea.  It  added  much  to  our  knowledge  of  these  coun- 
tries, and  is  the  most  important  contribution  to  science  made 
by  that  navigator. 

In  reviewing  the  progress  of  discovery  in  the  seventeenth 
century,  it  will  be  seen  that  enterprise  languished  during  its 
latter  years,  and  that  almost  every  addition  made  to  our 
Knowledge  was  effected  in  the  earlier  portion  of  it.  During 
that  time  were  made  the  important  acquisitions  of  Staten  Isl- 
and, Strait  Le  Maire,  and  Gape  Horn,  and  of  several  har- 
bours and  islands  of  Tierra  del  Fuego.  In  the  more  central 
parts  of  the  Pacific  were  visited  the  New  Hebrides,  the 
groups  of  the  Society  and  Friendly  Islands,  and  many  of  the 
smaller  isles  scattered  over  the  great  ocean.  On  the  Asiatic 
side,  some  information  had  been  obtained  of  New  Holland, 
Van  Diemen's  Land,  and  New  Zealand.  The  coasts  of 
New  Guinea  were  more  accurately  examined,  and  many  of 
the  islands  which  stretch  along  its  shores  were  explored. 
The  existence  of  a  strait  between  New  Guinea  and  New 
Holland  was  ascertained ;  though,  from  accidental  circum- 
stances, the  memory  of  this  achievement  was  soon  lost. 
Such  were  the  advances  made  in  geographical  science  during 
the  first  forty  years  of  the  century :  the  remaining  portion 
was  undistinguished  by  any  acquisition  of  great  importance. 
In  this  long  space  we  have  to  enumerate  only  the  discoveries 
of  one  of  the  Carolines,  which  gave  its  name  to  the  group, 
of  New  Georgia,  Easter  and  Beauchesne  Iskujids,  Falkland 
Sound,  and  a  survey  of  some  parts  of  Australia. 

Of  the  three  circumnavigations  made  in  the  course  of  this 
age,  all  were  performed  by  the  Dutch.*     Spain  had  now 


y 


ame  year  was 


*  We  have  followed  Bnmey  and  Bon^inville  in  not  assigning  the 
title  or  circumnavigations  to  the  expraitions  of  the  bucaniers  be- 
tween 1683  and  1691,  above  narrated.  We  may  here  alfio  state,  that  we 
can  neither  rank  Gemelii  Careri  (1697)  nor  M.  de  Pag^s  (1767-1776) 
among  circumnavigators,  because  that  word  can  hardly  be  applied  to 
travellers  who,  indeed,  encircled  the  glol)e,  but  did  so  by  crossing  the 
Isthmus  of  Darien  and  several  parts  of  Asia.  M.  de  Pag^s  can  have  been 
styled  a  circumnavigator  only  by  those  who  had  read  no  flirther  than 
Abe  title*page  of  his  book,  and  were  Ignorant  of  the  meaning  attached 

K2 


114 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS,  ETC. 


withdrawn  from  the  field  of  enterprise  into  which  she  was 
the  ^rst  to  enter ;  and  during  the  seventeenth  century  but 
one  expedition  for  South  Sea  discovery  of  any  note  was  fitted 
out  from  her  ports.  England,  distracted  by  the  great  civil 
war  and  other  events,  had  neslected  to  follow  up  the  career 
ao  boldly  begun  by  Drake  and  Cavendish ;  and,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Dampicr's  voyage  to  New  Holland,  her  only  ad- 
venturers in  the  Pacific  were  the  lawless  bucaniers.  To 
the  United  Provinces  is  due  the  honour  of  having,  during  this 
period,  kept  up  the  spirit  of  investigation,  and  widely  extend- 
ed the  limits  of  geographical  knowledge. 

by  the  French  to  the  word  voyage.—"  Voyages  autour  da  Monde  et  vera 
les  deux  Poles.    Par  M.  de  Pages."   Paris,  176S),  8  vols.  8vo. 


)  / 


W 


! 


i 


■  ■■«■, 

f 


CIRCUMNAVIOATlONSy  ETC. 


115 


CHAPTER  V. 

Circumnavigatiotu  from  the  Beginning  of  the  Eighteenth 
Century  to  the  Reign  of  George  III. 

Circumnavigation  of  Dampier  and  Funnel,  of  Woodea  Rofera,  of  Olip- 
penon  and  Shelvoclce,  of  Rosgewein.— Eaater  laland.— Pernicious 
islande. — Circumnavigation  of  A naon.— Objects  of  the  Expedition. — 
Passage  of  Cape  Horn.— Severe  Bufleringa  of  the  Crew.— Juan  Fer- 
nandez.—Cruise  on  the  American  Coists.— Burning  of  Pay ta.— Loss 
of  the  Gloucester.— Tinian.— Capture  of  the  Manilla  Galleon. — Return 
of  the  Centurion  to  England.— Fata  of  the  Wager. 

The  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  was  marked  by 
numerous  privateering  voyages  to  the  South  Sea,  generally 
undertaken  by  English  merchants ;  expeditions  which,  indeed, 
served  little  to  advance  either  maritime  science  or  the  repu- 
tation of  British  seamen.  The  principle  which  almost  inva- 
riably regulated  them  was,  "  No  prizes  no  pay/'  and  this  led 
to  continual  disorder  and  insuboroination.  The  commanders, 
too  frequently,  were  men  of  no  education,  of  dissipated 
habits,  .and  of  violent  and  avaricious  dispositions.  Alto- 
gether, the  narrative  of  these  bucaniering  adventures  is  one 
of  the  least  creditable  in  the  naval  annals  of  the  country. 

The  first  of  them  which  we  have  to  notice,  was  directed  by 
one  whom  Captain  Basil  Hall  has  not  unjustly  styled  "  the 
prince  of  voyagers," — ^William  Dampier.  This  skilful  navi- 
gator sailed  from  Kiopale  in  Ireland,  on  the  11th  September, 
1703,  in  command  of  two  ships,  the  St.  George  and  the 
Cinque  Ports  galley,  and  entered  the  South  Sea  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  following  year.  But  even  his  talents  and  resolu- 
tion were  unable  to  preserve  order  among  his  boisterous 
crews,  and  the  history  of  their  proceedings  accordingly  is  an 
unbroken  series  of  dissension  and  tumult.  On  the  19th  of 
May,  these  disputes  had  reached  such  a  height  that  the  ves- 
sels agreed  to  part  company.  The  Cinque  Ports,  which 
sailed  to  the  southward,  was  eventually  run  ashore,  and  the 
people  taken  prisoners  by  the  Spaniards.  In  September 
another  quarrel  broke  out  on  board  the  St.  George,  which 


116 


FROM   THE   BEGINNING   OF   THE 


I 


led  to  the  desertion  of  the  chief  mate,  John  Clipperton,  with 
twenty-one  of  the  seamen.  In  January,  1705,  differences 
again  occuried,  and  the  remainder  separated  into  two  parties. 
One  of  these  immediately  sailed  for  the  East  Indies,  and,  re- 
turning to  Europe  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  arrived  in  the 
Texel  in  July,  1706 :  a  narrative  of  their  voyage  has  been 
left  by  Funnel.  Shortly  after  this  secession,  Dampier  was 
forced  to  abandon  the  St.  George,  and  to  embark  in  a  prize 
which  had  been  taken  from  the  Spaniards.  In  this  he  pro- 
ceeded to  the  East  Indies ;  but,  being  unable  to  produce  his 
commission,  which  had  been  stolen  from  him,  it  is  said,  by 
his  mate  Clipperton,  his  vessel  was  seized  by  the  Dutch,  and 
he  himself  detained  some  time  a  prisoner. 

In  1708  we  again  meet  this  bold  seaman  as  a  circum» 
navigator,  in  the  capacity  of  pilot  to  Woodes  Rogers,  who 
sailed  from  Cork  on  the  1st  September,  in  the  command  of 
two  ships,  fitted  out  by  the  merchants  of  Bristol  to  cruise 
against  the  Spaniards  in  the  South  Sea.  In  December  the 
squadron  reached  the  Falkland  Islands,  and  after  being  driven 
to  the  latitude  of  62°  south  in  doubling  Cape  Horn,  arrived, 
in  Januaiy,  1709,  at  Juan  Fernandez,  the  well-luiown  rendez- 
vous of  the  bucaniers.  Their  visit  was  the  means  of  resto- 
ring to  civilized  life  the  celebrated  Alexander  Selkirk,  whose 
residence  on  this  island  upwards  of  four  years  became,  as  has 
been  already  hinted,  the  groundwork  of  Defoe's  romance  of 
Robinson  Crusoe.  After  this  nearly  a  twelvemonth  was  spent 
in  cruising  on  the  coasts  of  Peru,  Mexico,  and  California.  In 
January,  1710,  they  sailed  across  the  Pacific,  and  in  March 
made  the  Ladrone  Islands.  They  arrived  in  the  Thames  on 
.he  14th  of  October,  1711,  loaded  with  a  booty  which  rendered 
the  enterprise  highly  lucrative  to  the  owners.  With  this  voy- 
age closed  the  long  and  checkered  life  of  Dampier ;  on  his 
return  to  England  he  sunk  into  an  obscurity  which  none  of  his 
biographers  has  yet  succeeded  in  removing.* 

The  success  of  this  expedition  led  soon  afterward  to  another 
of  a  similar  description.  In  1718,  the  war  which  was  then 
waged  between  Spain  and  the  German  empire  appeared  to 
some  "  worthy  gentlemen  o<"  London,  and  persons  of  distinc- 

'  *  For  an  account  of  the  voyages  and  circumnavigations  in  which  Dam- 
fder  bore  ■  part,  mora  Aill  and  detailed  than  was  compatible  with  the 
plan  of  the  present  v<dume,  the  reader  is  referred  to  **  Lives  and  Voyages 
ojf  Drake,  Cavendish,  and  Dampier."— (F«&ily  Library,  No.  XXX.) 


THE 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY  TO  OEORGI  III.  117 


^lipperton,  with 
?'06,  differences 
nto  two  parties. 
Indies,  and,  re- 
s,  arrived  in  the 
>yaffe  has  been 
,  Dampier  was 
>ark  in  a  prize 
In  this  he  pro- 
to  produce  his 
1,  it  is  said,  by 
the  Dutch,  and 

n  as  a  circum> 

s  Rogers,  who 

he  command  of 

ristol  to  cruise 

December  the 

ter  being  driven 

Horn,  arrived, 

■known  rendez- 

neans  of  resto- 

Selkirk,  whose 

became,  as  has 

i*s  romance  of 

lonth  was  spent 

"^ahfomia.     In 

and  in  March 

le  Thames  on 

hich  rendered 

^'ilh  this  voy- 

ipier;   on  His 

ich  none  of  his 

rard  to  another 
)ich  was  then 
appeared  to 
^ns  of  distinc- 

I  in  which  Dam- 
iiible  with  the 
|reaandVoyaf«a 
^o.XXX.) 


tion,**  to  afford  a  favourable  opportunity  of  cruising  against 
the  subjects  of  the  former  country  in  the  South  Sea,  under 
commissions  from  Charles  VI.  Accordinglv»  two  ships,  the 
Success  of  thirty-six  guns  and  the  Speedwell  of  twenty-ifour, 
were  fitted  out  in  the  river  Thames.  To  give  some  colour 
to  the  design,  their  names  were  changed  into  the  Prince  Eu- 
gene and  the  Staremberg ;  and  this  latter  vessel  was  de- 
spatched to  Ostend,  under  the  command  of  Captain  George 
Shelvocke,  to  take  on  board  some  Flemish  officers  and  sea^ 
men,  and  to  receive  the  commission  firom  the  emperor.  The 
conduct  of  this  gentleman,  while  engaged  in  these  preparations, 
was  by  the  owners  considered  imprudent,  and  on  his  return 
to  England  he  was  superseded  in  his  office  of  commander-in- 
chief  by  Clipperton  (wno  had  sailed  as  mate  with  Dampier  in 
the  St.  George),  though  he  was  allowed  to  continue  in  charge 
of  the  Staremberg.  During  the  course  of  these  arrangements, 
Great  Britain  declared  war  against  Spain :  the  imperial  au- 
thority was  in  consequence  laid  aside,  and  the  Flemish  offi- 
cers and  seamen  discharged ;  the  ships  recovered  their  origi- 
nal names,  and  were  manned  with  English  crews. 

Thus  fitted  out,  the  Success  and  Speedwell  sailed  from 
Plymouth  on  the  13th  February,  1719.  Six  days  after,  a  vio- 
lent storm  arose,  and  both  ships  were  obliged  to  pass  the 
night  under  bare  poles.  The  gale  abated  on  the  allowing 
evemng,  when  they  again  proceeded,  the  former  under  CUp- 
porton  holding  a  southeasterly  direction,  while  Captain  Shel- 
vocke in  the  latter  stood  to  the  northwest,  a  difference  of 
course  which  so  effectually  disjoined  them,  <*  that  from  that 
day  they  never  saw  each  other  till  they  met  in  the  South  Seas 
by  mere  accident."  It  will  be  necessary,  therefore,  in  the 
notice  of  this  expedition,  to  give  distinct  narratives  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  two  commanders. 

When  they  parted  company,  the  whole  stock  of  wine, 
brandy,  and  other  liquors,  designed  for  the  supply  of  both 
ships,  was  on  board  the  Speedwell ;  and  this  circumstance  has 
generally  been  admitted  as  evidence  in  favour  of  Clipperton, 
that  the  separation  could  not  be  designed  on  his  part.  It  is 
certain  that,  after  losing  sight  of  his  consort,  he  immediately 
set  sail  for  the  Canary  Islands,  the  first  rendezvous  which  had 
been  agreed  on  in  case  of  losing  each  other.  He  arrived 
there  on  the  6th  March,  and  after  having  waited  ten  days  in 
Tain,  set  sail  for  the  Cape  de  Verd  Islands,  Uie  second  place 


118 


FROM  THE   BEOINNINO   OF   THE 


appointed  for  their  meeting.  Having  cruised  here  also  an 
equal  period,  and  hearing  nothing  of  Shelvocke,  he  directed 
his  course  for  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  at  the  eastern  entrance 
of  which  he  arrived  on  the  29th  May.  During  this  passage 
several  of  the  seamen  died,  and  much  hardship  and  privation 
had  been  experienced  ;  and  on  the  18th  of  August,  when  he 
reached  the  South  Sea,  the  crew  were  in  such  an  enfeebled 
condition,  **  that  it  was  simply  impossible  for  them  to  under- 
take any  thing  immediately."  In  conformity,  therefore,  with 
his  instructions,  which  appointed  Juan  Fernandez  as  the  third 
rendezvous,  Clipperton  immediately  proceeded  thither,  and 
remained  about  a  nionth,  after  which  he  departed  for  the  coast 
of  Peru,  which  he  reached  in  October.  Although  he  had 
lost  upwards  of  thirty  of  his  men  prior  to  the  time  of  his  quit- 
ting the  island  just  named,  he  was  sc  successful  as,  in  the 
course  of  little  more  than  four  weeks,  to  have  taken  five 
prizes,  some  of  them  of  considerable  value,  besides  one  which 
he  captured,  but  which  subsequently  made  her  escape.  On 
the  27th  of  November  he  despatched  a  vessel  to  Brazil,  loaded 
with  booty,  valued  at  more  than  10,000/. ;  but  she  never 
reached  her  destination,  having,  there  is  reason  to  think,  been 
intercepted  by  the  Spaniards.  From  this  time  to  the  begin- 
ning of  1V21,  he  continued  to  cruise  on  the  American  coast 
with  indifferent  success.  On  the  25th  January  in  that  year 
he .  met  with  Shelvocke  near  the  Island  of  Quibo,  and,  after 
exchanginga  few  stores,  they  parted  company  on  the  succeed- 
ing day.  During  their  stay  on  the  Mexican  shore,  they  again 
met  on  four  different  occasions.  On  three  of  these  they 
passed  each  other  without  speaking ;  and  on  the  fourth,  a 
proposal  made  by  Clipperton,  that  they  should  sail  in  com- 
pany, met  with  no  success.  This  took  place  on  the  13th  of 
March ;  and,  four  days  afterward,  the  last-named  officer  sailed 
for  China.  About  the  middle  of  May  he  made  Guahan,  one 
of  the  Ladrones,  his  departure  from  which  was  hastened  by 
an  unfortunate  quarrel,  which  terminated  to  his  disadvantage. 
On  the  2d  of  July  he  arrived  in  China,  when  the  disputes 
which  ensued  regarding  the  division  of  plunder  were  referred 
to  the  judgment  of  the  native  authorities.  These  awarded  to 
the  proprietors  6000/.,  to  the  common  seamen  97/.  \5s.  4d. 
each,  and  to  the  captain  1466/.  10s.  The  owners'  share  was 
conmiitted  to  a  Portuguese  ship,  which  took  fire  in  the  har- 
bour of  Rio  Janeiro,  wnd  not  more  than  1800/.  of  the  property 


EIGHTEENTH    CENTURY   TO   GEORGE   III.   119 

was  saved.  Clipperton's  vessel  was  sold  at  Macao,  and  her 
crew  returned  home.  The  unfortunate  commander  reached 
Galway  in  Ireland  in  the  beginning  of  June,  1722,  where  he 
died  within  a  week  after  his  arrival. 

On  parting  with  his  consort,  Shelvocke  contrived  so  to 
manage  his  course  that  he  did  not  reach  the  Canaries  \mtil  the 
17th  of  March,  two  days  after  the  other  had  departed.  Hav- 
ing remained  there  more  than  a  week,  he  proceeded  to  the 
Cape  de  Verd  Islands,  where  he  also  waited  some  time  for 
Clipperton.  After  plundering  a  Portuguese  vessel  on  the 
coast  of  Brazil,  he  passed  Strait  le  Maire,  and  in  rounding 
Cape  Horn  experienced  such  tempestuous  weather,  that  he 
was  driven  to  a  high  southern  latitude.  He  seems  to  have 
been  much  struck  with  the  bleakness  of  these  cold  and  steril 
regions :  "  We  had  not,"  he  says,  "  the  sight  of  one  fish  of 
any  kind  since  we  were  come  to  the  southward  of  the  Streights 
of  Le  Maire,  nor  one  sea-bird,  except  a  disconsolate  black 
albatross,  which  accompanied  us  for  several  days,  hovering 
about  us  as  if  it  had  lost  itself;  till  Mr.  Hartley,  observing  in 
one  of  his  melancholy  fits  that  this  bird  was  always  hovering 
near  us,  imagined  from  its  colour  that  it  might  be  an  ill  omen ; 
and  so,  after  some  fruitless  atten^ts,  at  length  shot  the  alba- 
tross, not  doubting  that  we  should  have  a  fair  wind  after  it."* 

*  This  incident  is  believed  to  have  given  rise  to  the  late  Mr.  Samuel 
Taylor  C!oleridge'8  wild  and  beaatiful  poem  of  "  The  Rime  of  the  Ancient 
Mariner." 

"  And  now  there  came  both  mist  and  snow, 
And  it  grew  wondrous  cold, 
And  ice  mast  high  came  floating  by, 
As  green  as  emerald. 

•  *  »  *  « 

Kor  shapes  of  men  nor  beasts  we  ken, 
The  ice  was  all  between. 


At  length  did  cross  an  albatross, 
Thorough  the  fog  it  came. 


And  a  good  south  wind  sprung  up  behind, 

The  albatross  did  follow; 
And  every  day  fbr  food  or  play 

Came  to  the  mariner's  hollo !  r  i 


I* 


m 


120     FROM  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE     ' 

At  length,  about  the  middle  of  November,  he  made  the  west* 
em  coast,  and  on  the  30th  of  the  same  month  anchored  at  the 
Island  of  Chiloe.  His  instructions  were,  that  on  entering  the 
South  Sea  he  should  immediately  proceed  to  Juan  Fernandez ; 
but  it  was  not  until  the  11th  of  January,  1720,  that  he  repaired 
thither  to  inquire  about  his  colleague,  who  had  been  there 
about  three  months  previously.  He  remained  only  four  days, 
and  then  steered  towards  the  shores  of  Peru,  along  which  he 
cruised  till  the  beginning  of  May,  capturing  several  vessels, 
and  burning  the  town  of  Payta.  On  the  11th  of  the  same 
month  he  returned  to  Juan  Fernandez,  off  which,  partly  for  the 
purposes  of  watering  and  partly  detained  by  bad  weather,  he 
remained  until  the  26th,  when  his  ship  was  driven  on  shore, 
and  became  a  wreck.  With  the  loss  of  one  man,  the  crew 
succeeded  in  gaining  the  land,  carrying  along  with  them  a  few 
of  their  stores.  Little  unanimity  subsisted  among  the  seamen ; 
and  hence  the  building  of  a  new  vessel  in  which  they  were 
employed  proceeded  but  slowly.  It  was  not  until  the  5th  of 
October  that  their  rude  bark  was  launched,  which  even  then 
was  considered  so  insufficient,  that  twenty-four  of  them  chose 
rather  to  remain  on  the  island  than  trust  themselves  to  the 
ocean  in  such  a  feeble  structure. 

On  the  6th,  Shelvocke  and  forty-six  others  put  to  sea,  and 
stood  eastward  for  the  shores  of  the  continent.  After  two  in- 
effectual attempts  on  different  vessels,  he  succeeded  in  captur- 
ing a  Spanish  ship  of  200  tons  burden,  into  which  he  transferred 
his  crew,  and  abandoned  the  sloop.  Being  once  more  in  a 
condition  to  commit  hostilities,  he  continued  to  cniise  along 
the  coast,  from  Chili  northward  to  California,  until  about  the 
middle  of  the  year  1721,  Durina  this  period,  as  has  been  al- 
ready mentioned,  he  met  Clipperton,  with  whom  he  finally 

In  mist  or  cloud,  on  mast  or  shroud. 
It  perch'd  Tor  vespers  nine. 


.    .    .    .    .    with  my  cross-bow 
I  shot  the  albatross. 


Then  all  averr'd  I  h»d  kill'd  the  bird  ' 

That  brought  the  fog  and  mist ; 
'Twas  right,  said  they,  such  birds  to  slay 

That  bring  the  fog  and  mist." 
Coleridge's  Poetical  Works.    Load.,  18?4,  vol.  ii.,  p. 


3-5 


;. .  t 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY  TO  GEORGE  III.    121 


parted  towards  the  end  of  March.  On  the  18th  of  August  he 
sailed  from  California  for  China,  and  on  the  21st  discovered 
an  island  to  which  his  own  name  was  given,  though  there 
seems  good  reason  for  supposing  it  to  be  the  same  with  Roca 
Partida,  one  of  the  ReviUagigedo  Isles,  seen  by  Spilbergen 
and  other  early  voyagers.  *  On  the  1 1  th  November  he  reached 
his  destination,  and  anchored  in  the  river  of  Canton,  where  he 
sold  his  prize,  dividing  the  plunder  which  he  had  acquired 
among  his  crew.  On  this  occasion,  the  able  seamen  received 
440/.  Is.  2d.  each,  and  the  commander's  share  amounted  to 
2642/.  lOs.  He  soon  afterward  procured  a  passage  to  Eng- 
land in  an  East  Indiaman,  and  landed  at  Dover  on  the  30th 
July,  1722.  He  was  arrested,  and  two  prosecutions  instituted 
against  him — the  one  for  piracy,  and  the  other  for  defrauding 
his  proprietors.  Of  these,  the  first  was  abandoned  for  want 
of  evidence,  and  the  second  was  interrupted  by  his  escape 
from  pij^n  and  flight  from  the  kingdom.  He  afterward  suc- 
ceeded ih  compounding  with  the  owners,  and  having  returned 
he  published  an  account  of  his  voyage. 

The  next  circumnavigation  was  that  accomplished  by  Jacob 
Roggewein,  a  Dutchman.!  An  injunction  to  prosecute  the 
search  for  southern  lands  had,  it  is  said,  been  laid  upon  him 
by  his  father  a  short  time  before  his  death.  This  last  had,  in 
the  year  1669,  presented  a  memorial  to  the  Dutch  West  India 
Company,  containing  a  scheme  for  discovery  in  the  South  Sea, 
and  his  proposals  were  so  well  received,  that  some  vessels 
were  equipped  for  the  purpose  ;  but  the  disturbances  between 
the  United  Provinces  and  Spain  put  a  stop  to  the  project.  In 
1721  it  was  renewed  by  his  son,  in  an  application  to  the  same 
association,  which  bore  a  reference  to  the  memorial  of  his 
father.  It  has  been  insinuated,  that  the  readiness  with  which 
the  request  of  Roggewein  was  conceded,  had  its  origin,  less 
in  a  desire  for  the   advancement  of  science  than  in  inter- 


'il 


*  Bumey,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  551. 

t  Two  accounts  of  Roggewein's  voyage  exist.  The  first  appeared 
wittiout  ttie  auttior's  name  at  Dort,  in  1728,  under  the  title  of  "  Twee 
Jaarige  Reyze  rondom  de  Wereld,"— A  Two  Years' Voyage  round  the 
World.  The  second,  written  in  German,  was  printed  at  I.Mpsic  in  1738 ; 
a  French  translation  was  published  at  the  Hague  In  1739.  This  v^ork 
was  written  by  Charles  Frederick  Behrens,  a  native  of  Mecklenburg, 
who  was  sergeant  and  commander  of  the  troops  in  Roggewein's  fleet. 
Both  accounts  have  been  translated  by  Mr.  Dalrymple  (Hist.  Coll.,  vol. 
il,  p.  85-120),  who  terminates  his  valuable  work  with  this  voyage. 


122 


FROM  THE   BEGINNING   OF  THE 


ested  motives.  No  time,  it  is  certain,  was  lost  in  preparing 
the  expedition,  which  consisted  of  three  vessels,  the  largest 
carrying  36  guns,  and  manned  by  111  men.  These  sailed 
from  the  Texel  on  the  21st  August,  1721,  and  in  November 
were  off  the  coast  of  Brazil,  from  which  they  "  went  in  quest 
of  the  Island  of  Auke's  Magdeland  (Hawkins's  Maiden-land), 
but  could  find  no  such  place."*  They  were  equally  unsuc- 
cessful in  another  attempt  to  identify  the  same  island  under 
the  different  name  of  St.  Louis ;  but  on  the  2l8t  December 
they  had  the  good  fortune  to  see  one,  to  which  they  gave  the 
appellation  of  Belgia  AustraUs,  and  in  which,  though  they 
chose  not  to  perceive  it,  they  only  rediscovered  the  Maiden- 
land  and  Isles  of  St.  Louis.  On  the  same  day,  one  of  the 
vessels  was  separated  from  her  consorts  in  a  violent  storm. 
On  the  10th  March,  Roggewein  came  in  sight  of  the  cctast  of 
Chili,'  and  on  the  eighteenth  anchored  at  Juan  FeiKii|^dez, 
where  he  remained  three  weeks. 

On  leaving  this  port  he  directed  his  course  for  Davi 
which,  like  Hawkins's  Maiden-land,  he  failed  to  tra 
least  affected  not  to  recognise  :  pretending  that  he 
a  new  discovery,  he  exercised  the  privilege  of  a  first  visiter 
in  bestowing  on  it  a  name,  that  of  Paaschen,  Oster  or  Easter 
Island.  While  they  were  sailing  along  the  shore  in  search  of 
anchorage,  a  native  came  off  in  his  canoe,  who  was  kindly 
treated,  and  presented  with  a  piece  of  cloth  and  a  variety  of 
bawbles.  He  was  naturally  of  a  dark-brown  complexion,  but 
his  body  was  painted  all  over  with  figures,  and  his  ears  were 
of  a  size  so  unnatural  "  that  they  hung  down  upon  his  shoul- 
ders," occasioned,  as  the  Europeans  conjectured,  by  the  use 
of  large  and  heavy  ear-rings.  "  A  glass  of  wine,"  says  one 
of  the  journals  of  the  voyage,  "  was  given  to  him ;  he  took  it, 
but,  instead  of  drinking  it,  he^threw  it  in  his  eyes,  which  sur- 
prised us  very  much."  He  seemed  so  fascinated  with  the 
strangers  that  it  was  with  difficulty  he  was  prevailed  on  to 
depart ; — '*  he  looked  at  them  with  regret ;  he  held  up  both 
his  hands  towards  his  native  island,  and  cried  out  in  a  very 
audible  and  distinct  voice,  ♦  Odorroga !  odorroga  !*  "t — ex- 
clamations which  were  supposed  to  be  addressed  to  his  god, 
from  the  many  idols  observed  along  the  coast. 


*  Dtlrymple,  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  ii.,  p. 
t  Idem,  vol.  U.,  p.  90, 91. 


HE 


:>j;f 


t  in  preparing 
Is,  the  largest 

These  sailed 
in  November 

went  in  quest 
Maiden-land), 
equally  unsuc- 
}  island  under 
1st  December 
they  gave  the 
,  though  they 
I  the  Maiden- 
y,  one  of  the 
triolent  storm, 
f  the  cQast  of 
n  Feiliibdez, 


Dav 


tnd, 

•r  at 

he  hacT  made 

a  first  visiter 

3ter  or  Easter 

B  in  search  of 

10  was  kindly 

I  a  variety  of 

nplexion,  but 

lis  ears  were 

on  his  shoul- 

1,  by  the  use 

e,"  says  one 

L ;  he  took  it^ 

s,  which  sur- 

ed  with  the 

vailed  on  to 

leld  up  both 

)ut  in  a  very 

ra!»»»t_ex- 

to  his  god, 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY  TO  6E0ROE  III.  123 

The  succeeding  day  the  discoverers  anchored  close  to  the 
island,  and  were  immediately  surrounded  by  many  thousands 
of  the  inhabitants,  some  of  whom  brought  with  them  fowls 
and  provisions,  while  others  '*  remained  on  the  shore,  running 
to  and  fro  from  one  place  to  another  like  wild  beasts."  They 
were  also  observed  to  make  fires  at  the  feet  of  their  idols,  as 
if  to  offer  up  their  prayers  and  sacrifices  before  thenu  On  the 
following  day,  as  the  Hollanders  were  preparing  to  land,  the 
savages  were  seen  to  prostrate  themselves  with  their  faces 
towards  the  rising  sun,  and  to  light  many  fires,  apparently  to 
present  bumt-ofiferinffs  to  their  divinities.  Several  of  them 
went  on  board  the  win,  among  whom  one  man  quite  white 
was  conjectured,  from  his  devout  and  solemn  gestures,  to  be 
a  priest,  and  was  distinguished  by  wearing  white  ear-rings  of 
a  round  shape  and  of  size  equal  to  a  man's  fist.  The  sailors, 
upon  returning  this  visit,  commenced  an  attack,  apparently 
unprovoked,  on  the  natives,  and  by  a  heaw  slaughter  taught 
them  the  deadly  efficacy  of  the  musket.  They  are  described 
as  having  "  made  the  most  surprising  motions  and  gestures  in 
the  world,  and  viewed  their  fallen  companions  with  the  utmost 
astonishment,  wondering  at  the  wounds  the  bullets  had  made 
in  their  bodies."  Though  dismayed,  they  again  rallied  and 
advanced  to  within  ten  paces  of  their  enemies,  under  an  im- 
pression of  safety,  which  a  second  discharge  of  firearms  too 
fatally  dissipated.  Among  those  who  fell  was  the  individual 
that  first  came  on  board — a  circumstance,  says  the  journalist, 
"  which  chagrined  us  much."  Shortly  after,  the  vanquished 
returned  and  endeavoured  to  redeem  the  dead  bodies  of  their 
countrymen.  They  approached  in  procession,  carrying  palm- 
branches  and  a  sort  of  red  and  white  flag ;  and  uttering  dole- 
ful cries  and  sounds  of  lamentation ;  they  then  threw  them- 
selves on  their  knees,  tendered  their  presents  of  plantains, 
nuts,  roots,  and  fowls,  and  sought,  by  the  most  earnest  and 
humble  attitudes,  to  deprecate  the  wrath  of  the  strangers. 
The  historian  represents  his  companions  as  so  affected  with 
all  these  demonstrations  of  humility  and  submission,  that  they 
made  the  islanders  a  present  ''  of  a  whole  piece  of  painted 
cloth,  fifty  or  sixty  yards  long,  beads,  small  looking-glasses," 
&c.  They  returned  to  their  ships  in  the  evening  with  the 
intention  to  revisit  the  island  on  the  succeeding  day ;  but  this 
design  was  frustrated  by  a  storm,  which  drove  them  from 
their  anchors  and  obliged  them  to  stand  out  into  the  open  sea. 


124    FROM  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE 


B   I  :/ 


Woman  or  Easter  Island. 


The  inhabitants  of  Easter  Island  are  described  as  being  of 
a  well-proportioned  stature,  though  rather  slender,  of  complex- 
ions generally  brown,  but,  in  some  instances,  of  European 
whiteness.  They  delineate  o»  their  bodies  figures  of  birds 
and  other  animals ;  and  a  great  proportion  of  the  females 
were  '*  painted  with  a  rouge,  very  bright,  which  much  surpas- 
ses that  known  to  us  ;*'  and  had  dresses  of  red  and  white  cloth, 
soft  to  the  touch  like  silk,  with  a  small  hat  made  of  straw  or 
rushes.  They  were  generally  of  a  mild  disposition,  with  a 
soft  and  pleasing  expression  of  countenance,  and  so  timid,  that 
when  they  brought  presents  to  the  voyagers  they  threw  the 
gifts  at  their  feet,  and  made  a  precipitate  retreat.  Their  ears, 
as  already  noticed,  were  so  elongated  as  to  hang  down  to  their 
shoulders,  and  were  sometimes  ornamented  with  large  white 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY  TO  GEORGE  III.  125 


rings  of  a  globular  form.  Their  huts  were  about  fifty  feet  long 
and  seven  broad,  built  of  a  number  of  poles  cemented  with  a 
fat  earth  or  clay,  and  covered  with  the  leaves  of  the  pahn-tree. 
They  had  earthen  vessels  for  preparing  their  victuals,  but  pos- 
sessed few  other  articles  of  furniture.  No  arms  were  per- 
ceived among  them,  and  their  sole  defence  from  the  cruel  hos- 
tilities of  their  visiters  appeared  to  be  reposed  in  their  idols. 
These  were  gigantic  pillars  of  stone,  having  on  the  top  the  fig- 
ure of  a  human  head  adorned  with  a  crown  or  garland,  formed 
of  small  stones  inlaid  with  considerable  skilV.  The  names  of 
two  of  these  idols  have  been  preserved — Taurico  and  Dago  ; 
and  the  Hollanders  thought  they  perceived  indications  of  a 
priesthood,  the  members  of  which  were  distinguished  by  their 
ponderous  ear-rings,  by  having  their  heads  shaven,  and  by 
wearing  a  bonnet  of  black  and  white  feathers.  The  food  of  the 
inhabitants  consisted  entirely  of  the  fruits  of  their  land,  which 
was  carefully  cultivated  and  divided  into  enclosures.  No 
traces  were  found  of  a  supreme  chief  or  ruler,  nor  was  any 
distinction  of  ranks  observed,  except  that  the  aged  bore  staves, 
and  had  plumes  on  their  heads,  and  that  in  families  the  oldest 
member  appeared  to  exercise  authority.  It  would  be  improper 
to  pass  without  notice  the  fabulous  account  uf  the  immense 
stature  of  the  natives,  given,  in  one  of  the  accounts  of  the  voy- 
age, with  the  strongest  protestations  of  its  truth : — *'  All  these 
savages  are  of  more  than  gigantic  size ;  for  the  men,  being 
twice  as  tall  and  thick  as  the  largest  of  our  people,  they  meas- 
ured, one  with  another,  the  height  of  twelve  feet,  so  that  we 
could  easily — ^who  will  not  wonder  at  it ! — ^without  stooping, 
have  passed  between  the  legs  of  these  sons  of  Goliah.  Ac- 
cording to  their  height,  so  is  their  thickness,  and  all  are,  one 
with  another,  very  well  proportioned,  so  that  each  could  have 
passed  for  a  Hercules."  It  is  added,  that  the  females  do  not 
altogether  come  up  to  these  formidable  dimensions,  "being 
commonly  not  above  ten  or  eleven  feet  !"* 

From  Eastei  Island  the  Dutchman  pursued  a  course  nearly 
northwest,  and  about  the  middle  of  May  came  in  sight  of  an 


4 

-i 


*  Dalrymple,  voL  ii.,  p.  1 13.  "I  doubt  not,"  adds  the  Jonrnalist, "  but 
moat  pc  iple  who  read  this  voyage  will  give  no  credit  to  what  I  now  relate, 
and  th&f.  this  account  of  the  height  of  these  giants  will  probably  pass  with 
them  for  a  mere  fiible  or  fiction ;  but  this  I  declare,  that  I  have  i>ut  down 
nothing  but  the  real  truth,  and  that  this  people,  upon  the  nicest  inspection, 
were  in  fiict  of  such  a  surpassing  height  as  I  have  here  described." 

L2 


?/        ^ 


■T.-Ti^ 


126 


FROM  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE 


I  i 


ft    ) 


island  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Carls-hoff,  which  it  still 
retains.  After  leaving  this,  one  of  his  vessels  suddenly  ran 
aground  and  was  wrecked,  on  a  cluster  of  low  islands,  which 
he  distinguished  by  the  epithet  of  Schaadelyk  or  Pernicious. 
These  are  generally  supposed  to  be  identical  with  Palliser's 
Islands  ;  and  modern  voyagers  seem  to  have  observed  in  the 
vicinity  traces  of  Roggewein's  visit  and  shipwreck.*  Among 
these  he  sailed  five  days,  and  on  the  26th  May  discovered  two 
small  ones,  probably  the  Bottomless  and  Fly  Island  of  Schou- 
ten  and  Le  Maire.f  A  few  days  later  he  perceived  a  group 
to  which  he  gave  the  appellation  of  Irrigen  or  the  Labyrinth  ; 
and,  continuing  in  the  same  westerly  course,  on  the  1st  of 
June  reached  an  island  wliich  he  denominated  Verquikking  or 
Recreation,  and  which  is  supposed  to  be  Uliatea,  one  of  the 
Society  cluster — a  conjecture  rendered  more  probable  by  the 
tradition  prevalent  among  the  natives  of  their  having  been 
visited  by  Europeans.  The  navigators  found  their  landing  op- 
posed by  the  inhabitants,  who  were  armed  with  pikes,  and 
who  did  not  withdraw  their  opposition  until  they  were  over- 
powered by  firearms.  On  the  succeeding  day  another  con- 
flict ensued,  when  the  event  was  different ;  the  invaders  were 
obliged  to  retreat,  after  having  some  of  their  men  killed  and 
many  severely  wounded.  The  people  are  described  as  robust 
and  tall,  their  hair  long  and  black,  their  bodies  painted,  and 
their  dress  consisting  of  a  kind  of  network  round  the  waist. 

Shortly  after  quitting  Recreation  Island,  it  was  determined, 
in  a  general  council  of  officers,  that  to  sail  back  by  the  course 
which  they  had  traversed  was  impossible,  and  that  they  were 
therefore  under  the  necessity  of  going  home  by  the  East  In- 
dies. In  accordance  with  this  resolution,  they  continued  to 
steer  westward,  and  on  the  15th  of  June  reached  a  cluster  of 
islands,  which  they  called  Bauman,  supposed  to  be  the  Navi- 
gators' Isles  of  the  present  maps.  From  this  point  the  track 
of  Roggewein  coincided  too  closely  with  that  of  Schouten  and 
other  discoverers  to  offer  much  of  novelty  or  interest ;  nor 
has  this  part  of  his  voyage  been  very  clearly  nauated.  The 
scurvy  broke  out  among  his  crew  and  committed  frightful  rav- 
ages :  "  There  was  nothing,"  says  a  journalist  of  the  voyage, 
"  to  be  seen  on  board,  but  sick  people  struggUnj^  with  inex- 
pressible pains,  and  dead  carcasses  that  were  just  released 

*  Bumey,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  570. 

I  See  above,  p.  90, 91.  .     ,.„,  ,^ 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY  TO  GEORGE  III.  127 


lereat ;  nor 


from  them,  and  from  which  arose  so  intolerable  a  smell,  that 
such  as  yet  remained  sound  were  not  able  to  endure,  but  fre- 
quently swooned  with  it.  Cries  and  groans  were  perpetually 
ringing  in  their  ears,  and  the  very  sight  of  the  people  moving 
about  was  sufficient  to  excite  at  once  terror  and  compassion. 
In  the  month  of  September  he  arrived  at  Java,  with  the  loss 
of  not  fewer  than  seventy  men  by  sickness,  besides  those 
killed  in  his  conflicts  with  the  islanders  ;  and  in  October  pro- 
ceeded to  Batavia,  where  his  ships  were  arrested  by  the  Dutch 
East  India  Company,  condemned,  and  sokl  by  public  auction. 
The  crews  were  sent  home  free  of  expense,  and  landed  At  Am- 
sterdam on  the  28th  July,  "  the  very  same  day  two  years  that 
they  sailed  on  this  voyage."  Against  these  proceedings  the 
West  India  Company  sought  redress  in  an  appeal  to  the  states 
general,  who  ordained  the  East  India  Company  to  make  full 
compensation  for  the  vessels— a  decision  which,  when  the  judg- 
ment in  the  more  favourable  case  of  Schouten  and  Le  Maire 
is  considered,  it  may  be  not  uncandid  to  suppose  proceeded 
more  from  the  superior  influence  of  the  appellants  than  from 
the  array  of  legal  arguments  on  their  side.  After  the  voyage 
of  Roggewein,  twenty  years  passed  without  producing  one 
expedition  to  the  Paciiic  of  the  slightest  importance. 

When  war  broke  out  between  England  and  the  Spaniards 
in  1739,  among  other  measures  adopted  by  ^he  British  admin- 
istration, it  was  resolved  to  send  an  armament  into  the  South 
Seas  to  attack  their  trade  and  settlements  in  that  part  of  the 
world,  in  the  hope  of  cutting  off  the  supplies  which  they  de- 
rived from  their  colonies.  The  original  plan  of  this  expedi- 
tion was  as  magnificent  as  the  actual  equipment  of  it  was 
It  was  intended  that  two  squadrons  should  be  de- 


mean. 


Satched,  the  one  to  proceed  directly  by  the  Cape  of  Good 
ope  to  Manilla,  in  the  Philippines  ;  the  other  to  double  Cape 
Horn,  and,  after  cruising  along  the  western  coast  of  South 
America,  to  jom  the  former,  when  both  were  to  act  in  concert. 
But  of  this  romantic  scheme  only  one  half  was  put  in  execu- 
tion ;  and  that,  too,  in  a  spirit  of  petty  economy  quite  incon- 
sistent with  the  success  of  the  enterprise.  The  attack  on 
Manilla  was  abandoned,  and  the  design  limited  to  the  fitting 
out  of  a  few  ships  to  cruise  in  the  South  Seas,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  Greorge  Anson. 

This  officer  received  his  commission  early  in  January,  1740  ; 
but  so  tardy  were  the  proceedings  of  the  government,  that  his 


128    FROM  THE  BBOINNINO  OF  THB 


instructions  were  not  delivered  to  him  until  the  end  of  June ; 
and  when  in  virtue  of  these  he  repaired  to  his  squadron,  in  the 
expectation  of  being  able  to  soil  with  the  first  fair  wind,  he 
found  that  he  had  to  encounter  difficulties  which  detained  him 
nearly  three  months  longer.  Three  hundred  able  seamen  were 
wanting  to  complete  the  crews  ;  and  in  place  of  these,  Com- 
modore Anson,  after  a  tedious  delay,  was  able  to  obtain  only 
170  men,  of  whom  thirty-two  were  draughted  from  sick-rooms 
and  hospitals,  ninety-eight  were  marines,  and  three  were  in- 
fantry officers ;  the  remainder,  amounting  to  thirty-seven, 
were  regular  sailors,  it  was  part  of  the  original  plan  to  fur- 
nish the  squadron  with  an  entire  regiment,  and  three  independ- 
ent companies  of  100  men  each ;  but  this  design  was  laid 
aside,  and  the  ships  were  ordered  to  be  supplied  with  600  in- 
valids^ collected  from  the  out-pensioners  of  Chelsea  Hospital. 
These  consisted  of  such  soldiers  as,  from  their  age,  wounds, 
or  other  infirmities,  were  incapable  of  serving  ;  and  Anson  re- 
monstrated against  the  absurdity  of  sending  them  on  an  expe- 
dition of  so  great  length,  and  which  must  be  attended  by  so 
many  hardships  and  privations ;  but  his  representations,  though 
supported  by  those  of  Sir  Charles  Wager,  only  drew  forth  the 
answer,  "  that  persons  who  were  supposed  to  be  better  judges 
of  soldiers  than  he  or  Mr.  Anson,  thou^t  them  the  properest 
men  that  could  be  employed  on  this  occasion."*     This  ad- 


*  **  A  Voyage  roand  the  World  in  tlie  years  1740-1-2-3-4,  by  George 
Anson,  Esq.,  Commander^in-ohief  of  a  fSquadron  of  his  Majesty's  Ships 
sent  upon  an  Expedition  to  the  South  Seas.  Compiled  flrom  Papers  and 
other  Materials  of  the  Right  Honourable  Gewge  Lord  Anson,  and  pub- 
liRhed  under  his  Direetion.  By  Richtnl  Walter,  M.  A.,  Chaplain  of  bis 
Majesty's  Ship  the  Centurion.  London,  1748  "  4to,  p.  6.  This  is  the 
principal  authority  fbr  the  circuninaTigation  or  Anson,  and  has  ever  been 
popular  and  highly  admired  for  thei>eauty  of  the  narrative  and  vividness 
of  the  descriptions.  In  this  last  point,  indeed,  there  is  reason  to  ftar  that 
accuracy  is  sacrificed  to  eflkct.  An  attempt  was  made  to  deprive  Walter 
or  the  honour  or  this  work,  which  is  attributed  to  Benjamin  Robins, 
F.  R.  8.,  author  of  Mathematics!  Tracts,  London,  1761, 3  vols.  8vo,  and 
other  works.  Th;is  question  has  been  amply  dlscuseed ;  but  there  ap- 
pears no  decisive  evioence  of  Robins's  claim.  Those  who  are  anxious  to 
enter  into  the  diseussien  may  be  referred  to  the  prefhce,  by  James  Wilson, 
to  the  Mathematical  Tracts  above  mentioned ;  to  Nicholas  Literary  An- 
ecdotes of  the  Eighteenth  Century,  vol  ii ,  p.  206;  to  the  Biographia  Bri- 
tannlca,  voce  Anson ;  and  to  the  Corrigenda  and  Addenda  to  that  article 
inserted  in  the  4th  volume  of  the  work.  Besides  Waller's  narrative, 
there  appeared  "  A  True  and  Impartial  Journal  of  a  Voyage  to  the  South 
Seas,  and  round  the  Globe,  in  his  Majesty's  Ship  the  Centurion,  under 
the  Command  of  Commodore  George  Ansou.     By  Paseoe  Thomas, 


I  >» 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY  TO  GEORGE  III.  129 

mitted  of  no  reply,  and  the  veterans  were  accordinffly  ordered 
on  board  the  squadron.  Instead,  however,  of  600,  there  ap- 
Deared  no  more  than  269  ;  for  all  who  were  able  to  walk  away 
nad  deserted,  leaving  behind  them  only  the  very  dress  of  their 
corps,  men  for  the  most  part  sixty  years  of  age,  and  some  of 
them  upwards  of  seventy.  The  embarcation  of  these  aged 
warriors  is  described  as  having  been  singularly  affecting.  Their 
reluctance  to  the  service  was  visible  in  their  countenances,  on 
which  were  seen  also  apprehension  of  the  dangers  they  were 
to  encounter,  and  indignation  at  being  thus  dragged  into  an 
enterprise  which  they  could  no  way  assist,  and  in  which,  after 
?<rving  spent  their  youthful  vigour  in  the  service  of  their  coun- 
try, they  were  too  probably  doomed  to  perish.  To  expose  the 
cmelty  of  this  measure,  it  need  only  be  stated,  that  not  one 
of  these  unhappy  men  who  reached  the  South  Sea  lived  to  re- 
turn to  his  native  shores.*  To  supply  the  room  of  the  241 
invalids  who  had  deserted,  raw  and  undisciplined  marines, 
amounting  to  nearly  the  same  number,  were  selected  from 
different  ships  and  sent  on  board ;  upon  which  the  squad- 
ron sailed  from  Spithead  to  St.  Helens,  to  await  a  favourable 
wind.  It  consisted  of  eight  vessels,  the  Centurion  of  sixty 
guns ;  the  Gloucester  and  the  Severn  of  fifty  each  ;  the  Pearl 
of  forty  ;  the  Wager  of  twenty-eight  ;t  the  Tryal  sloop  of 
eight ;  and  two  store-ships  ;  and,  exclusive  of  the  crews  of 
these  last,  contained  about  2000  men.  After  being  thrice 
forced  back  by  adverse  winds,  they  finally  sailed  from  St. 
Helens  on  the  18th  September,  1740  ;  and,  having  touched 
at  Madeira,  anchored  on  the  I8th  December  at  the  Island  of 
Santa  Catalina,  on  the  coast  of  Brazil,  where  they  remained 
about  a  month. 

They  arrived  at  Port  San  Julian  in  the  middle  of  February, 
1741 ;  and  on  the  7th  March  entered  Strait  Le  Maire,  where, 
though  winter  was  advancing  apace,  they  experienced  a 
brightness  of  sky  and  serenity  of  weather  which  inspired 
them  with  high  hopes  that  the  greatest  difficulties  of  their 
voyage  were  past.  "Thus  animated  by  these  delusions," 
says  Air.  Walter,  "we  traversed  these  memorable  straits,  ig- 
norant of  the  dreadful  calamities  that  were  then  impending 

Teacher  of  the  Mathematics  on  board  the  Centurion.    London,  1745,** 
6vo. 

*  Bumey,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  v.,  p.  40. 

t  According  to  Thomas  (p.  2)  the  Wager  canriedbut  twenty  guns. 


m 


1^ 


130    FROM  THE  BEOINMINO  OF  THB 

•nd  just  ready  to  bunt  upon  ub  ;  ignonnt  that  the  time  drew 
near  when  the  squadron  would  be  separated  never  to  unite 
again,  and  that  this  day  of  our  passage  was  the  last  cheerful 
day  that  the  greatest  part  of  us  would  ever  live  to  enjoy."* 
The  last  of  the  ships  had  scarcely  cleared  the  straits,  when 
the  sky  suddenly  changed,  and  exhibifed  all  the  appearances 
of  an  approaching  storm,  which  soon  burst  with  sucn  violence, 
that  two  of  them  with  difficulty  escaped  being  run  ashore  on 
Staten  Land.  From  this  time  to  Uie  26th  May,  the  expedi- 
tion encountered  a  succession  of  the  most  tempestuous 
weather.  The  oldest  mariners  confessed  that  the  fury  of  the 
winds  and  the  mountainous  waves  surpassed  any  thinff  they 
had  ever  beheld.  **  Our  ship,"  says  Thomas,  who  sailed  in 
the  Centurion,  *'  was  nothing  to  them ;  but,  notwithstanding 
her  ^rffe  bulk  and  deep  hold  in  the  water,  was  tossed  ana 
bandied  as  if  she  had  been  no  more  than  a  little  pitiful  wher- 
ry, "t  The  sails  were  frequently  split  in  tatters,  and  blown 
from  the  yards ;  the  yards  themselves  were  often  snapped 
across ;  and  the  shrouds  and  other  rigging  were  repeatedly 
blown  to  pieces.  The  upper-works  were  rendered  so  loose 
as  to  admit  water  at  every  seam  ;  the  beds  were  almost  con- 
tinually wet,  and  the  men  were  often  driven  from  them  by 
the  rushing  in  of  the  waves.  The  rolling  of  the  vessel  was 
so  great,  ^at  the  seamen  were  m  danger  of  being  dashed  to 
pieces  against  her  decks  or  sides ;  they  were  often  forced 
from  the  objects  they  had  taken  hold  of  to  secure  themselves 
from  falling,  and,  in  spite  of  every  precaution,  met  numerous 
accidents ;  one  had  bis  neck  dislocated,  another,  who  was 
pitched  below,  had  his  thigh  fractured,  and  a  boatswain's  mate 
had  his  collar-bone  twice  seriously  injured.  To  add  to  their 
misery,  the  scurvy  broke  out  with  great  violence ;  at  first 
carrying  off  two  or  three  a  flay,  but  increasing  in  virulence 
till  the  mortality  amounted  to  eight  or  ten.  Few  of  the  crew 
escaped  its  attacks,  and  on  these  the  labour  of  managing  the 
ship  fell  so  heavily,  "that,"  says  Thomas,  "I  have  on  that 
account  seen  four  or  five  dead  bodies  at  a  time,  some  sewn 
up  in  their  hammocks,  and  others  not,  washing  about  the 
decks,  for  want  of  help  to  bury  them  in  the  sea."^  The  dis- 
ease at  last  attained  such  a  height  that  we  are  informed  there 


•  Walter,  p.  75. 
;  Ttiomas,  p.  82, 


t  Tbomas,  p.  8U 


* 


^.A 


!■ 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY   TO   OEOROE   III.  131 


lie  time  drew 
!ver  to  unite 
last  cheerful 
5  to  enjoy."* 
straits,  when 
I  appearances 
lucn  violence, 
un  ashore  on 
,  the  expedi- 
tempestuous 
le  fury  of  the 
ly  thing  they 
vho  sailed  in 
withstandinff 
I  tossed  and 
pitiful  wher- 
),  and  blown 
ften  snapped 
re  repeatedly 
red  so  loose 
I  almost  con- 
om  them  by 
e  vessel  was 
ig  dashed  to 
often  forced 
themselves 
et  numerous 
3r,  who  was 
swain's  mate 
add  to  their 
ice;  at  first 
in  virulence 
of  the  crew 
anaging  the 
ve  on  that 
some  sewn 
about  the 
The  dis- 
armed there 


were  not  above  twelve  or  fourteen  men»  and  a  few  officeriy 
capable  of  doing  duty.  On  the  invalids,  who  had  been  ao 
cruelly  sent  on  this  expedition,  the  disease  produced  the  mosc 
extraordinary  effects ;  wounds  which  had  been  healed  many 
years  now  opened,  and  appeared  as  if  they  had  never  been 
closed,  and  fractures  of  bones  which  had  been  long  consol- 
idated now  again  appeared,  as  if  the  callus  of  the  broken 
bone  had  been  dissolved  by  the  disease.  The  wounds  of  one 
aged  veteran,  which  had  been  received  more  than  fifty  years 
previous,  at  the  battle  of  the  Boyne,  broke  out  afresh,  and 
seemed  as  if  they  had  never  been  healed.*  At  length,  after 
a  period  of  intense  suffering,  on  the  morning  of  the  8th  of 
May,  the  crew  of  Anson's  own,  ship,  the  Centurion,  saw  the 
western  coast  of  Patagonia,  the  high  mountains  of  which 
were  for  the  most  part  covered  with  snow.  The  Island  of 
Nuestra  Senora  del  Socoro,  which  had  been  appointed  as 
the  rendezvous  of  the  fleet,  was  also  visible ;  but,  from  the 
weak  condition  of  his  crew,  the  commodore  waited  here 
two  days,  when  he  set  sail  for  Juan  Fernandez,  abandoning 
the  design  which  had  been  formed  of  attacking  Baldivia. 
Short  as  was  Anson's  delay  on  this  occasion,  he  has  been  se- 
verely censured  for  it  by  Thomas,  who  declares — "  I  verily 
believe  that  our  touching  on  this  coast,  the  small  stay  we 
made  here,  and  our  hinderance  by  cross  winds,  which  we 
should  have  avoided  in  a  direct  course  to  Juan  Fernandez, 
lost  us  at  least  sixty  or  seventy  of  as  stout  and  able  men  as 
any  in  the  navy."t  It  was  not  until  daybreak  of  the  9th  of 
June  that  they  descried  the  island  now  named,  which,  not- 
withstanding its  rugged  and  mountainous  aspect,  says  Walter, 
"  was  to  us  a  most  agreeable  sight."  An  anecdote  which  has 
been  preserved  by  Dr.  Beattie  may  perhaps  present  a  livelier 
idea  of  the  distress  endured  than  a  lengthened  description : 
"  One  who  was  on  board  the  Centurion  in  Lord  Anson's  voy- 
age, having  got  some  money  in  that  expedition,  purchased  a 
small  estate  about  three  miles  from  this  town  (Aberdeen).  I 
have  had  several  conversations  with  him  on  the  subject  of 
the  voyage,  and  once  asked  him  whether  he  had  ever  read 
the  history  of  it.  He  told  me  he  had  read  all  the  history,  ex- 
cept the  description  of  tiioir  sufferings  during  the  run  from 


.81. 


•rt?. 


•  Walter  p.  l(tt. 


t  Thomas,  p.  97. 


132 


FROM   THE   BEGINNING   OF  THE 


Cape  Horn  to  Juan  Fernandez,  which  he  said  were  io  great 
that  he  durst  not  recollect  or  think  of  them."* 

On  the  succeeding  day  they  coasted  along  the  shore,  at 
about  the  distance  of  two  miles,  in  search  of  an  anchorage. 
The  mountains,  which  at  first  yiew  had  appeared  bare  and 
steril*  they  now  perceived  to  be  covered  with  luxuriant 
woods,  and  between  them  they  could  see  fertile  valleys  of 
the  freshest  verdure,  watered  by  clear  streams,  frequently 
broken  into  waterfalls,  ••  Those  only,"  says  Walter,  "  who 
have  endured  a  long  series  of  thirst,  and  who  can  readily  re- 
call the  desire  and  agitation  which  the  ideas  alone  of  springs 
and  brodcs  have  at  that  time  raised  in  them,  can  judge  of  the 
emotion  with  which  we  eyed  a  large  cascade  of  the  most 
transparent  water,  which  poured  itself  from  a  rock  near  100 
feet  figh  into  the  sea,  at  a  small  distance  from  the  ship. 
Even  those  among  the  diseased  who  were  not  in  the  very  last 
stages  of  the  distemper,  though  they  had  been  long  confined 
to  uieir  hammocks,  exerted  the  small  remains  of  strength  that 
was  left  them,  and  crawled  up  to  the  deck  to  feast  themselves 
with  this  reviving  prospect,  "t  The  succeeding  day  the 
Centurion  anchored  on  the  northeastern  side  of  the  island ; 
in  the  passage  from  Brazil  200  of  her  men  having  died,  and 
130  of  the  remainder  being  on  the  sick-list.  No  time  was 
lost  in  erecting  tents  and  conveying  the  sick  on  shore — a  la- 
bour in  which  Anson  assisted  in  person,  and  exacted  the  aid 
of  his  officers.  He  continued  here  some  months,  to  recruit 
the  health  of  his  crew,  and  to  wait  the  arrival  of  the  rest  of 
the  squadron.  Of  the  seven  vessels  which  accompanied  him 
from  England,  only  three,  the  Gloucester,  the  Tryal  sloop, 
and  the  Anna  store-ship,  succeeded  in  reaching  Juan  Fernan- 
dez. The  Industry  had  been  dismissed  on  the  coast  of  Bra- 
zil, while  the  Severn  and  I^arl,  which  had  separated  from 
the  commodore  in  the  passage  round  Cape  Horn,  returned 
homeward  without  having  entered  the  South  Seas.  The 
Wager,  the  only  remaining  one,  reached  the  western  coast  of 
Patagonia,  where  she  experienced  disasters  and  sufferings 
which  will  be  hereafter  noticed.  Before  leaving  Juan  Fer- 
nandez the  Anna  wuo  Inroken  up,  and  her  crew  distributed 
among  the  other  vessels,  which  stood  much  in  need  of  this 


*  Sir  William  Forbes's  Life  of  Seattle,  toI.  U„  p.  39. 
t  Walter,  p.  111. 


^  .lA 


\ 


<i"- 


re  so  great 

s  nhote,  at 
anchorage. 
I  bare  and 
\  luxuriant 
valleys  of 
frequently 
liter,  "  who 
readily  re- 
of  springs 
iidge  of  the 
f  the  most 
k  near  100 
n  the  ship, 
lie  very  last 
ig  confined 
trength  that 
themselves 
g   day  the 
the  island ; 
^  died,  and 
)  time  was 
lore — a  la- 
ted  the  aid 
to  recruit 
the  rest  of 
anied  him 
al  sloop, 
n  Feman- 
st  of  Bra- 
ated  from 
returned 
as.     The 
coast  of 
sufferings 
'uan  Fer- 
istributed 
d  of  this 


EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY  TO   OEOROE   III.  133 

aid;  for,  since  leaving  St.  Helens,  the  Centurion  had  lost 
292  men  out  of  her  complement  of  506  ;  in  the  Gloucestei 
there  remained  only  82  out  of  374 ;  and  in  the  Tryai,  out  of 
81  there  survived  but  39.*  In  short,  of  upwards  of  900  per- 
sons who  had  left  England  on  board  these  three  vessels,  more 
than  600  were  dead. 

On  the  8th  of  September^  while  the'expedition  was  still  at 
anchor,  a  strange  c»ll  nuo  uiscovered  and  chased,  and  though 
she  escaped,  the  English,  during  the  pursuit,  were  fortunate 
enough  to  capture  another,  which  proved  to  be  a  rich  mer- 
chantman, bound  from  Callao  to  Valparaiso,  and  having  on 
board  dollars  and  plate  to  the  amount  of  about  18,000/.  ster- 
ling. InteUigence  was  obtained  from  this  prize,  that  there 
were  several  such  vessels  on  tHe  voyage  from  Callao  to  Val- 
paraiso, and,  accordingly,  no  time  was  lost  in  despatching  the 
Tryal  sloop  to  cruise  off  the  latter  port.  In  a  few  days  the 
Centurion  sailed,  along  with  the  captured  ship,  to  join  the 
Tryal,  leaving  the  Gloucester  at  Juan  Fernandez,  with  orders 
to  proceed  to  Payta,  and  cruise  there  until  re-enforced  by  the 
others.  When  the  commodore  fell  in  with  the  sloop,  he  found 
that  she  had  taken  a  prize  ;  but,  being  herself  ii^  a  shattered 
condition,  she  was  sunk,  and  her  crew  transferred  to  the  for- 
eigner, which  was  now  commissioned  under  the  name  of  the 
Tryal's  Prize.  Having  disposed  his  fleet  so  as  best  to  com- 
mand the  different  cities  and  their  trade,  Anson  continued  to 
cruise  along  the  coasts  cl  Chili  and  Peru,  until  nearly  the 
middle  of  November,  when,  from  information  he  obtained 
from  a  vessel  which  he  had  captured,  he  determined  to  make 
an  attempt  on  Payta.  Fifty-eight  menf  were  selected  for 
this  purpose,  who  embarked  in  three  boats,  and  rowed  for  the 
harbour,  which  they  had  just  entered  when  they  were  discov- 

*  These  statementa  are  made  as  the  nearest  approach  to  accuracy 
which  is  now  attainable.  The  numbers  of  the  crews  are  so  loosely 
mentioned,  that,  according  to  Walter,  in  one  place  (p.  14)  the  Tryal  had 
100  men,  and  in  another  (p.  160)  only  81.  With  bim  the  men  on  board 
the  Centurion  are  at  one  time  535,  and  at  another  (p.  159)  506,  and  Pas* 
coe  Thomas  rates  them  in  different  places  (p.  43)  518, 512,  and  (Appen- 
dix, p.  8)  510  The  latter  author  makes  the  number  alivo  in  the  Olotr- 
eester  considerably  higher  than  Walter.  "  We  found,^  says  he,  "  in  a 
ttiiserabie  condition,  not  many  above  one  hundred  people  o/tve." — P.  31. 

t  According  to  Thomas  (p.  55)  there  were  only  forty-nine ;  and  this  is 
eonflrmed.by  the  description  of  the  "plan  of  Payta,"  which  accooar 
panics  Walter's  voyage,  p.  189. 

M  '  •  -■ '"    ■ 


7 


/'I 


<l 


f     /  4(i 


134 


FROM  fHE  BEGINNING  OF  THE 


ered  by  a  ship's  crew,  who  manned  their  barges,  and  pulled 
towards  the  town  shouting,  '*The  EngUsh!  the  En^isb 
doffs !"  In  a  few  minutes,  the  hurrying  of  lights  to  and  fro, 
and  other  signs  of  preparation,  gave  notice  that  the  inhabi* 
tants  were  alarmed,  and  before  the  assailants  could  reach  the 
landing-place  a  cannon-ball  from  the  fort  whistled  over  their 
heads.  But  ere  a  second  discharge  could  take  place  the  sea^ 
men  had  landed,  and,  forming  into  a  body,  marched  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  governor's  house.  The  noise  of  the  drums 
which  they  carried,  "  the  shouts  and  clamours  of  threescore 
sailors  confined  so  long  on  shipboard,  and  now  for  the  first, 
time  on  shore  in  an  enemy's  country,  joyous,  as  they  always 
are  when  they  land,  and  animated  in  the  present  case  with  the 
hopes  of  an  mmiense  pillage,"  joined  to  the  sudden  nature 
of  tbe  attack  and  the  darkness  of  the  night,  struck  such  a 
panic  into  the  inhabitants,  that  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  and  with  the  loss  of  one  killed  and  two  wounded,  the 
assailants  were  masters  of  the  town,  the  governor  fleeing 
from  it  half  naked  and  with  such  precipitation  that  he  most 
ungallantly  left  behind  him  his  lady,  to  whom  he  had  been 
but  three  or  four  days  married,  and  who  afterward  made  her 
escape  "with  no  other  clothes  to  cover. her  but  her  shift."* 
Two  days  were  occupied  in  conveying  the  plunder  to  the  ves- 
sels ;  and  this  being  effected,  the  town  was  set  on  fire,  and^ 
with  the  exception  of  two  churches,  burnt  to  the  ground ; 
and,  of  the  six  ships  in  the  bay,  five  having  been  sunkf  and  one 
carried  off,  *'  we  weighed  and  came  to  sea,"  says  Thomas^ 
"  with  all  our  prizes,  being  six  sail,  and  left  this  place  entirely 
ruined.'*  The  value  of  the  silver  coin  and  plate  taken  in 
Payta  was  reported  to  exceed  30,0002.  ,t  and  to  this  there 

*  Thomas,  p.  56.  Walter,  p.  194.  From  a  note  in  Burnejr,  Chron. 
Bist.  Discov.,  vol.  v.,  p.  57,  We  learn  that  this  lady  was  alive  in  1701, 
and  acknowledged  to  an  Enfflish  ReHmaii  "  the  liberal  conduct  observed 
towards  prisoners  in  Commodore  Anann^s  expedition." 

t  Buriiey,  Chron.  Hiat.  Diacov.,  vol.  v.,  p.  58,  atiitea  that  theflveahipg 
Were  burnt  i  but  both  Walter  (p.  208)  and  Thomas  (p.  83)  mention 
their  being  aunk.  Indeed,  one  of  the  illuairaiiuna  in  Wulier's  voyage 
(plate  24,  p.  SOI)  repreai-nts  the  vesaela  in  the  act  of  going  down< 

i.  Thia  ie<  piobably  above  the  tiuth.  Mr.  Thomas  givev  a  i-peeiflc  ac* 
count  of  th«  number  or  ouncea  of  bullion  captured,  and  of  thi  ir  valiicL 
by  which  he  "  makes  the  whole  amount  24,415/.  10«.  Ad.*  He  adda^ 
however,  an  a  reason  fur  hia  eatimaiing  the  value  at  about  32,00W.,  that 
though  **  1  know  not  certainly  whether  there  was  any  thing  in  specie 
Ourtber  in  this  capture,  yet  I  know  that  it  teas  gammtft  uUemed  to  b^ 


B 

uid  pulled 
he  En^ieli 
to  and  fro, 
the  inhabi* 
d  reach  the 
I  over  their 
ice  the  sea* 
d  in  the  di- 
the  drunui 
'  threescore 
or  the  first, 
they  always 
ase  with  the 
Iden  nature 
uck  such  a 
larter  of  an 
ounded,  the 
mor  flpeing 
hiat  he  most 
le  had  been 
1  made  hei 
her  shift."* 
r  to  the  yes* 
)n  fire,  and» 
he  ground} 
nkt  and  one 
rs  Thomas^ 
ace  entirely 
te  taken  in 
this  there 


irney,  Chron. 
ilive  in  1701, 
luct  observed 

the  five  sbipe 
>  63)  mention 
lier'a  ▼oyage 
down< 

a  hpeciflc  ae* 
f  th*  ir  valucL 
."  He  adda^ 
32,0(KU.,  that 
n§  in  specie 
teemed  t»  tit 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTVRY  TO  GEORGE  III.  133 

were  to  be  added  rings,  gold  watches,  and  jewels,  besides 
what  pillage  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  individuals  engaged  in 
ihe  attack.  Walter  mentions  a  report,  that  the  inhabitants, 
in  their  representations  to  the  Spanish  court,  estimated  their 
loss  at  a  million  and  a  half  of  dollars.  Two  days  after  this 
exploit,  Anson  was  joined  by  the  Gloucester,  which  he  found 
had  also  captured  several  prizes,  having  on  board  bullion  to 
the  amount  of  about  18,000/. 

It  was  now  resolved  to  cruise  off  Cape  San  Lucas  or  Cape 
Corrientes  for  the  Manilla  galleon,  and  the  squadron  accord- 
ingly sailed  in  that  direction.  On  the  5th  December  they 
anchored  at  the  Island  of  Quibo,  where  they  took  in  a  supply 
of  water,  and  remained  about  t;hree  days,  when  they  resumed 
their  voyage  to  the  northward.  A  succession  of  unfavourable 
weather  rendered  their  progress  so  extremely  slow,  that  they 
did  not  make  the  Mexican  coast,  a  Uttle  to  the  northwest  of 
Acapulco,  till  the  end  of  January.  This  was  past  the  usual 
time  of  the  galleon's  appearance ;  but  Anson  continued  to 
sail  along  the  coast  in  hopes  of  intercepting  her  till  a  late 
period  in  February,  when  he  received  mformation  that  she 
had  arrived  the  previous  month,  about  twenty  days  before  he 
had  reached  the  coast.  This  intelligence,  iowever,  was  ac- 
companied with  the  more  gratifying  information,  that  she  waa 
to  leave  Acapulco  to  return  to  Manilla  in  the  beginning  of 
March,  and  with  a  cargo  infinitely  more  valuable  than  that 
which  she  had  brought  from  the  Philippines.  The  cruise, 
was  therefore  continued,  and  with  increased  strictness,  every 
precaution  being  taken,  and  the  most  scrupulous  vigilance 
observed,  until  long  after  the  period  fixed  for  her  sailing, 
when  the  search  was  abandoned  on  the  supposition,  which 
afterward  proved  to  be  correct,  that  her  departure  was  delayed 
for  that  year,  on  account  of  the  English  fleet. 

Thus  disappointed,  Anson  formed  the  resolution  of  attack- 
ing Acapulco,  and  by  that  means  possessing  himself  of  the  ob- 
ject of  his  wishes ;  but  this  plan  fell  to  the  ground,  and,  leavt 
ing  his  cutter  to  watch  the  Manilla  ship,  he  sailed  for  the  har- 
bour of  Chequetan,  about  thirty  leagues  westward,  to  obtain  a 
supply  of  water.  During  his  stay  there,  the  different  vessels 
which  had  been  captured  we/e  destroyed ;  and  it  was  resolved 

near  33,000Z.  eterling**  (Appendix,  p.  4).  The  exaggeratinf  effbcts  of  s 
common  rumour  like  this  are  too  well  knowu  to  be  valued  aa  of  any 
high  authority. 


1 


i 


136 


FROM   THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE 


i 


A 


that  the  squadron,  which  now  consisted  of  only  two  ships, 
the  Centurion  and  Gloucester,  should  quit  the  South  Seas  and 
sail  for  China.  Various  accidents,  however,  contributed  to 
postpone  their  departure,  and  it  was  not  until  the  6th  of  May 
that  they  lost  sight  of  the  mountains  of  Mexico.  They  expe- 
rienced much  difficulty  in  getting  into  the  track  of  the  trade- 
winds,  which  they  expected  to  reach  in  a  few  days,  but  did 
not  meet  until  aeven  or  eight  weeks  afti  r  leaving  the  coast. 
This  disappointment  pressed  on  them  the  more  severely,  owing 
to  the  crazy  condition  into  which  their  ships  had  now  fallen^ 
more  particularly  the  Gloucester,  which  sailed  very  heavily. 
The  scurvy,  too,  agsiin  made  its  appearance,  and  raged  with  a 
violence  little  less  fatal  than  that  which  had  marked  its  attacks 
in  the  passage  round  Cape  Horn.  Though  the  trade-wind 
had  Constantly  favoured  tnern  from  the  end  of  June  to  the 
latter  part  of  July,  their  progress,  owing  to  the  distressed  con- 
dition of  the  crews,  had  been  so  very  slow,  that  by  their 
reckoning  they  were  still  300  leagues  from  the  Ladrones. 
At  this  time  they  met  with  a  westerly  breeze,  succeeded  by  ^ 
violent  storm,  which  so  damaged  the  Gloucester  as  to  render 
her  abandonment  necessary.  Two  days  were  employed  in  re- 
moving her  crew  and  part  of  her  stores  on  board  the  Centu- 
rion ;  and,  on  the  15th  of  August,  she  was  set  on  fire,  to  pre- 
vent her  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Spaniards,  to  whom  the 
valuable  prize-goods  on  board  would  have  rendered  her  a  wel- 
come acquisition.  "  She  burnt,"  says  Walter,  "  very  fiercely 
the  whole  night,  her  guns  firing  successively  as  the  flames 
reached  them ;  and  it  was  six  in  the  morning,  when  we  were 
about  four  leagues  distant,  before  she  blew  up;  the  report 
she  made  upon  this  occasion  was  but  a  small  one,  but  there 
was  an  exceeding  black  pillar  of  smoke,  which  shot  up  into 
the  air  to  a  very  considerable  height."*  Though  rc-enforced 
by  the  additional  crew,  Anson  had  still  to  struggle  with  diffi- 
culty and  distress.  The  late  storm  had  drifted  him  from  his 
course ;  there  was  a  leak  in  his  vessel  which  it  was  found  im-. 
possible  to  stop ;  and  the  scurvy  raged  with  such  violence, 
that  no  day  passed  in  which  he  did  not  lose  eight  or  ten,  and 
sometimes  twelve  of  the  ship's  company. 

At  length,  at  daybreak  of  the  23d,  two  islands  were  discov- 
ered to  the  westward—"  a  sight  which,"  says  Walter,  "  gave 

♦  Walter,  p.  300,  ' 


BS 

thi 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY  TO  OEOROE  III.    137 


(i 


gave 


■8  all  great  joy,  and  raised  our  drooping  spirits ;  for  before 
this  a  universal  dejection  had  seized  us,  and  we  almost  de- 
spaired of  ever  seeing  land  again.'*  These  proved  to  be  two 
of  the  Ladrones ;  but  the  exhausted  seamen  remained  in  sight 
of  them  three  days  without  bemg  able  to  come  to  anchor. 
On  the  26th  three  others  were  discovered,  and  the  ship's 
course  was  directed  towards  the  one  in  the  centre,  which  was 
ascertained  to  be  the  Island  of  Tinian.  They  moored  here  on 
the  evening  of  the  28th,  and  the  next  day  proceeded  to  land 
their  sick — a  labour  in  which  Anson  here,  as  at  Juan  Fernan- 
dez, personally  assisted.  The  accounts  which  the  journalists 
have  left  us  of  this  island  represent  it  in  the  most  favourable 
colours ;  they  dwell  on  its  sunny  slopes  and  gentle  declivities 
—the  beauty  of  its  lawns — the  luxuriance  of  its  flowers  and 
vegetation — the  grandeur  of  its  forests,  and  the  richness  and 
variety  of  its  frmt-trees.  "  The  fortunat-^  animals,  too,"  it  is 
added,  "  which  for  the  greatest  part  of  the  year  are  the  sole 
lords  of  this  happy  soil,  partake  in  some  measure  of  the  roman- 
tic cast  of  the  island,  and  are  no  small  addition  to  its  wondet- 
ful  scenery  ;  for  the  cattle,  of  which  it  is  not  uncommon  to 
see  herds  of  some  thousands  feeding  together  in  a  large  mead* 
ow,  are  certainly  the  most  remarkable  in  the  world ;  for  they 
are  all  of  them  milk-white,  except  their  ears,  which  are  gen- 
erally black.  And  though  there  are  no  inhabitants  here,  yet  the 
clamour  and  frequent  parading  ol  domestic  poultry,  which 
range  the  woods  in  great  numbers,  perpetually  excite  the 
ideas  of  the  neighbourhood  of  farms  and  villages,  and  greatly 
contribute  to  the  cheerfulness  and  beauty  of  the  place."* 

At  this  pleasant  island  Anson  remained  until  the  21st  of 
October,  when,  the  health  of  his  crew  having  been  restored, 
and  the  vessel  supplied  with  fresh  provisions,  he  set  sail  for 
Macao  in  China,  where  he  arrived  on  the  12th  of  November. 
The  five  months  which  he  passed  here  were  employed  in  refit- 
ting his  shattered  ship  and  still  farther  confirming  the  health 
of  his  men.     He  added  also  to  their  number  some  Lascars 

*  Walter,  p.  309.  After  ths^  lapne  of  nearly  a  century,  t  memoriiil  of 
Anson'ii  sojourn  at  Tinian  has  been  lately  brousbt  to  light.  By  the  Nau- 
tical Magasine  for  July,  1834  (vol.  ili.,  p.  4'29),  it  appears  that  *'  a  whaler 
iately,on  weiffhing  her  anchor  at  the  iHland  of  Tinian,  hooked  up  the  an- 
chor of  the  Centurion  of  Mguns,^which  was  lost  by  ibat  ship  in  ths 
{ear  1742,  when  (Joinrnodore  Anson  touched  there  to  renresh  his  crew. 
I  was  coin|>aratively  little  corroded,  having  on  a  thick  coat  of  rust ;  tlks 
woodsQ  stock  was  completsly  rotted  oir.* 

M8 


I 


138 


FROM   THE   BE6INNIM0  OF  THE 


\ 


K 


s 


iind  Dutch,  and  was  once  more  in  a  condition  to  resume  hos- 
tilities. 

On  leaving  Macao,  he  gave  out  that  he  was  bound  for  Bata- 
tavia,  on  his  homeward  voyage  for  England  ;  but  his  real  de- 
sign was  very  di£ferent.  From  the  sailing  of  the  Manilla  gal- 
leon of  the  previous  year  having  been  prevented  by  his  appear- 
ance off  Acapulco,  he  calculated  that  this  season  there  would 
be  two ;  '•JoA.  he  resolved  to  cruise  off  the  Island  of  Samal,  in 
the  hopa  of  intercepting  so  rich  a  prize.  This  design  he  had 
entertained  ever  since  h^  left  the  coast  of  Mexico,  but  had 
prudently  abstained  from  revealing  it.  When  his  ship,  how- 
ever, was  once  fairly  at  sea,  he  summoned  the  whole  crew  on 
deck,  and  informed  them  of  his  intentions.  In  allusion  to 
some  absurd  fables  which  prevailed  regarding  the  strength  of 
the  Manilla  ships,  and  their  being  impenetrable  to  cannon- 
shot,  he  said  he  trusted  there  were  none  present  so  weak  as  to 
believe  such  a  ridiculous  fiction ;  "  for  his  own  part,  he  did 
assure  them  upon  his  word,  that  whenever  he  met  with  them, 
he  would  fight  them  so  near,  that  they  should  find  his  bullets, 
instead  of  being  stopped  by  one  of  their  sides,  should  go 
through  them  both."* 

The  station  on  which  Anson  had  determined  to  cruise  was 
the  Cape  Espiritu  Santo,  part  of  the  Island  of  Samal,  and  he 
arrived  there  on  the  20th  of  May.  After  a  month  spent  in 
the  greatest  impatience  and  anxiety,  a  general  joy  was  dif<- 
fused  among  the  crew  by  the  sight  of  a  sail  at  sunrise  of  the 
20th  June.  They  instantly  stooid  towards  it,  and  by  mid*day 
were  within  a  league's  distance — ^the  galleon,  to  their  surprise, 
continuing  in  her  course,  and  bearing  down  upon  them.  The 
fight  was  commenced  by  Anson,  who,  in  order  to  embarrass 
the  Spaniards,  whom  he  observed  busy  in  clearing  their  decks, 
gave  directions  to  fire,  though  his  previous  orders  had  been 
not  to  engage  kill  within  pistol-shot.  Immediately  after  he 
took  up  an  {advantageous  position,  by  which  he  was  able  to 
traverse  the  most  oi  his  guns  on  the  enemy,  who  could  only 
bring  part  of  theirs  to  bear,  At  the  commencement  of  the 
battle,  part  of  the  netting  and  mats  of  the  galleon  took  fire ; 
but,  upon  beii^g  extinguished,  the  light  continued  with  una- 
bated determination.  Symptoms  of  disorder,  however,  were 
soon  observed  on  board  tne  merchantman;  their  general, 

♦  WaItMr,p.37J. 


EIGHTEENTH    CENTURY   TO   GEORGE   III.  139 

**  who  was  the  life  of  the  action,"  was  disabled,  and  the  men 
could  hardly  be  prevailed  on  to  remain  at  their  posts.  Their 
last  effort  was  marked  by  the  discharge  of  five  or  six  guiis 
with  more  skill  than  usual ;  when,  as  a  signal  that  the  contest 
was  abandoned,  the  standard  of  Spain  was  struck  from  the 
mast-head — the  ship*s  colours  having  been  burnt  in  the  en- 
gagement. The  treasure  in  specie  found  on  board  the  prize 
has  been  estimated  at  upwards  of  300,000/.  sterling.  Anson 
at  the  same  time  leameo  that  the  other  had  set  sail  much 
earlier  than  usual,  and  was  most  probably  moored  in  t^e  port 
of  Manilla  long  before  he  had  reached  Sama:l. 

As  nothing  was  now  to  be  gained  by  remaining  among  the 
Philippines,  he  at  once  set  sail  for  the  river  of  Canton,  where 
he  arrived  about  the  middle  of  July,  and  remained  until  the 
beginning  of  December.  The  homeward  passage  was  not  at- 
tended with  any  remarkable  event ;  and  on  the  15th  June, 
1744,  after  an  absence  of  three  years  and  nine  months,  the 
Centurion  anchored  at  Spithead.  General  joy  was  difiused 
through  the  nation  by  the  return  of  the  expedition,  diminished 
thou^  it  was  both  in  men  and  ships  ;  and  the  treasure  taken 
from  the  galleon  was  carried  through  the  streets  to  the  Tower 
in  thirty-two  wagons,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  silver  taken 
by  Blake. 

The  distress  which  was  experienced  on  board  this  squadron 
is  to  be  ascribed  solely  to  the  ill-judged  measures  which  were 
adopted  in  its  equipment ;  while  the  unflinching  perseverance 
and  courage  displayed  by  l;he  seamen,  and  the  intrepidity  and 
prudence  of  the  commander,  are  worthy  of  a  place  in  the 
brightest  page  of  the  naval  annals  of  our  country.* 

The  disastrous  fate  of  the  Wager,  one  of  the  ships  which 

?ut  to  sea  under  Lord  Anson,  has  been  already  alluded  to. 
n  addition  to  the  suffering?,  endured  by  the  rest  of  the  fleet 
in  their  stormy  passage  round  Cape  Horn,  her  crew  were  dis- 


r,  were 
eneral, 


*  A  curious  illustration  of  the  big[li  opinion  entertained  of  the  conduct 
of  Anson's  expedition  will  be  found  in  the  "  Journal  of  a  Cruise  mnde  to 
the  Paeiflc  Ocean,  by  Captain  David  Porter,  in  the  United  States  flrigate 
Essex,  in  the  years  1812,  1813,  and  1814.  2  vols.  Svo.  Philadelphia, 
1815."  Captain  Porter  informs  us,  that  the  fame  of  Anson  served  only 
to  "  rouse  his  ambition,"  and  as  an  incentive  "  to  make  the  name  of  th« 
Essex  as  well  known  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  as  that  of  the  Centurion ;" 
and  be  gives  it  as  his  ppioion^  that "  the  voyage  of  the  Essex  ought  oot 
to  yield  the  palm  to  those  of  Anson  and  Cook," 


140 


FROM   THE   BEGINNING   OF   THE 


* 


«  pirited  by  evil  omens  and  enperstitious  fears.  The  captatai 
who  commanded  them  when  they  left  England  died  ere  they 
reached  the  Straits  of  Le  Maire,  and  it  was  currently  ru- 
mouredf  both  among  officers  and  seamen,  that  shortly  before ' 
his  death  he  had  predicted,  "  that  this  voyage,  which  both 
officers  and  sailors  nad  engaged  in  with  so  much  cheerfulness 
and  alacrity,  would  prove,  in  the  end,  very  far  from  their  ex> 
pectations,  notwithstanding  the  vast  treasure  they  imagined 
to  gain  by  it ;  that  it  would  end  in  poverty,  vermin,  famine, 
death,  and  destruction."*  These  gloomy  forebodings  appear 
to  have  deeply  impressed  all  on  board — more  especially  as 
the  defective  equipment  of  the  vessel  rendered  their  fulfilment 
too  probable.  She  was  separated  from  the  squadron  in  the 
end  of  April ;  upon  which  Captain  Cheap,  in  obedience  to 
his  oirders,  immeaiately  proceeded  to  search  for  the  appointed 
rendezvous— the  Isle  of  Socorro. 

On  the  14th  of  May  it  was  discovered  that  the  vessel  was 
driving  right  on  shore,  and  though  her  course  was  instantly 
altered  aira  every  precaution  used,  the  next  morning  at  day« 
break  she  struck  on  a  hidden  rock,  and  grounded  between 
two  small  islands  about  a  gunshot  from  the  beach.  The 
scene  which  ensued  was  of  the  most  revolting  nature,  and 
the  deseription  which  has  been  left  of  it  by  the  Honourable 
John  Byron,  then  a  midshipman  on  board,  is,  perhaps,  little 
inferior  in  real  horror  and  sublimity  to  the  most  imaginative 
conceptions  of  his  noble  grandson.t  The  ship  held  together 
for  a  considerable  period,  and  the  whole  crew  might  have  got 

*  A  Voyage  to  tb«  Sooth  fieas,  in  the  years  1740-1.  By  John  Balkely 
and  John  Cumtnim,  lite  gunner  and  carpenter  of  the  Wager.  Second 
edition.    London,  1757,  p.  5. 

t  Narrative  of  the  Honoarable^John  Byron,  being  an  Aeoount  of  the 
Shipwreck  of  the  Wager,  and  the  euhaeqoent  Adventures  at  her  Crew. 
Written  by  Himieir.  The  editor  of  the  late  edition  of  Byron*a  works, 
in  tracing  the  poet'e  imitationa,  appears  to  have  overlooked  a  passage  in 
the  Narrative  which  may  have  snggested  the  lines— 

"  Then  abriek'd  the  timid,  and  stood  still  the  bi9ve— 
Then  »ome  Uap'd  merboard  with  dreadful  yell, 
A*  tager  to  anticipate  their  grave.** 

Don  Juan,  eanto  ii.,  st.  5S. 

The  fUlowing  aentenoe oecurs  in  Commodore  Byron's  Narrative:—" 8e 
terrible  wss  the  acene  of  foaming  breakera  around  un,  that  one  of  the 
bravest  men  we  had  could  not  help  expreasing  hia  diamay  at  it,  saying 
it  was  too  ahocking  a  eight  to  bear,  and  wndd  have  throum  hlmteff  omT 
the  raU$  of  the  quartir^bek  into  th£  sea  bad  he  not  been  prsvsoted.**-* 
8seaiul«&ioa,p.M. 


Balkely 
Second 


■t.59. 

e:— "So 
ortiM 
,  Miyinf 

■oted."^ 


EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY  TO   GEORGE   III.  141     ** 

to  the  land  in  safety,  had  not  many,  in  the  phrensy  of  despair 
and  intoxication,  obstinately  refused  to  quit  her. 

Among  the  miserable  beings  who  reached  the  shore,  heart- 
burnings and  dissensions  speedily  appeared  ;  and  the  history 
of  their  abode  on  this  desolate  coast  is  one  wearisome  suc- 
cession of  insubordination,  discord,  and  crime.  After  five 
months  thus  consumed,  during  which,  out  of  about  140*  who 
were  shipwrecked,  no  fewer  than  fifty  died,  the  long-boat  was 
at  last  converted  into  a  schooner ;  and  on  board  of  her  and 
the  ship's  cutter,  seventy -one  of  the  survivers  departed,  in 
order  to  proceed  to  Brazil  by  the  Straits  of  Magellan. 
Thirty  survived  to  reach  Rio  Grande,  about  the  end  of  Jan- 
uary, 1742 ;  nineteen  were  abandoned  to  their  fate  on  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  coast,  only  three  of  whom  survived  to  reach 
Europe;  and  twenty-two  perished,  chiefly  through  hunger 
and  fatigue.  Among  the  twenty  who  remained  on  the  coast 
where  the  Wager  was  wrecked  was  the  captain,  who  had 
been  made  prisoner  by  part  of  his  crew,  and  was  left  there  at 
his  own  desire.  Cheap  and  his  unfortunate  companions  de- 
termined to  proceed  northward  in  the  barge  and  yawl,  which 
had  been  left  to  them.  The  hardships  they  experienced  made 
frightful  havock  among  their  little  band;  only  six  of  whom, 
after  a  series  of  almost  unparalleled  sufferings,  arrived  at  the     ' 

Island  of  Chiloe.t 

The  melancholy  fate  of  the  Wager  led  to  an  important  sd- 
teration  in  the  laws  of  our  naval  service  Much  of  the  crime 
and  misery  was  justly  attributed  to  the  circumstance  that  the 
pay  of  a  ship's  company  ceased  immediately  upon  her  wreck ; 
and  a  rule  was  in  consequence  established  "  that,  in  future, 

*  These  numbers  are  stated  as  the  nearest  approximation  to  the  troth 
which  can  be  made.  The  difTerent  narratives  give  very  contradictory 
accounts  of  the  numbers.  Burney  (Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  v.,  p.  91) 
makes  the  number  on  board  at  the  date  of  the  shipwreck  130,  and  states 
(vol.  v.,  p.  101)  that  at  24th  June  forty-flve  had  died  and  seven  deserted, 
which  reduces  the  whole  at  that  time  to  seventy-eight.  Yet  afterward 
(vol.  v.,  p.  100),  he  states  that  in  October  the  number  remaining,  inclu- 
ding tM  seven  deserters,  was  ninety-two.  Bolkely  makes  the  number 
shipwrecked  153.    Byron  rates  them  at  145. 

t  Captain  King,  in  the  course  of  the  survey  which  be  made  of  (ht 
southern  extremity  or  the  American  continent  in  the  years  1826-7-8-9-30, 
discovered,  near  the  west  end  of  the  easternmost  ofthe  Guaineco  Islands, 
the  beam  of  a  vessel,  which  there  is  reason  to  believe  was  a  relic  of  the 
unfortunate  Wager.  From  this  circumstance,  he  bestowed  upon  the 
island  the  name  of  that  ship.— Journal  of  the  Royal  Geographical  So*  - 
ciety,  vol.  i.,  p.  159. 


} 


-  148 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  OF 


every  person  entering  into  the  service  of  his  majesty's  navy 
•hould  be  held  attached  to  that  service,  and  be  entitled  to  the 
pay,  maintenance,  or  emoluments  belonging  to  his  station,  un- 
til such  time  as  he  should  be  re^larly  discharged  by  an  ordei 
of  the  Admiralty  or  of  bis  superior  officer.*'* 


CHAPTER  VI. 
Circumnavigations  of  Byron,  Wallis,  and  Carteret. 

Voyage  of  Byron.— Its  Objects.— Vain  Searcb  for  Pepys'  Island.— Dis> 
o(i?ery  or  the  Islands  or  Disappointment,  King  George,  Prince  of 
Wales,  Danger,  and  Duke  of  York.— Circuninavigations  or  Wallis 
and  Carteret.- Tbeir  Seiiaration.— Wallis  discovers  the  Islsnds  of 
Whitsunday,  Queen  Charlotte,  Cgmoitt,  Cumberland,  and  Oanaburg. 
—Arrives  at  Otaheiie.— Transactions  there.— Satis  Tor  Tinian.— Car- 
teret discovers  Pitcairn's  Island.- SantaCruzorQueenCharlotie's  IsN 
ands.- The  Solomons.— Si.  George's  Channel  and  New  Ireland.— 
New  Hanover.— Arrives  at  Spitbead. 

England  had  hitherto  held  only  a  secondary  place  in  the 
annals  of  maritime  enterprise.  Spain  and  Portugal,  which 
iirst  occupied  the  field,  had  achieved  the  great  discoveries  of 
the  American  continent,  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  the  passage 
to  India  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  At  the  end  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  the  empire  of  the  deep  passed  to  Holland. 
After  a  short  and  brilliant  career,  the  spirit  of  adventure 
began  to  languish,  and  continued  nearly  100  years  almost  en- 
tirely dormant,  when  it  ag^in  broke  forth  in  Britain  with  a 
strength  and  lustre  which  have  procured  for  that  country,  as 
the  liberal  promoter  of  geographical  science,  an  equal,  if  not 
superior  rank  to  any  nation  of  ancient  or  of  modem  times. 

We  have  now  arrived  at  the  reign  of  George  HI.,  a  period 
which  will  ever  be  memorable  for  the  value  and  extent  of  its 
discoveries,  effected,  as  has  been  justly  remarked,  "  not  with  a 
view  to  the  acquisition  of  treasure,  or  the  extent  of  dominion, 

*  Bumey,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  127, 129.    We  have  now 
10  take  leave  of  this  valuable  ^nd  important  work,  and  cannot  do  so  with 
out  an  acknowledgment  of  the  great  assistance  which  it  has  afibrded 
US. 


BYRONt  WALLI8,  AND  CARTXRET.         143 

hut  the  improvement  of  commerce  and  the  increase  and  difiu* 
aion  of  knowledse.**  The  love  of  science  and  the  geograph* 
icai  learning  which  the  young  monarch  himself  possessed^ 
secured  a  favourable  hearing  to  every  undertaking  for  explo* 
ring  new  lands ;  and  the  design  which  for  this  purpose  he  had 
formed  immediately  after  his  accession,  he  proceeded  to  put  in 
execution  so  soon  as  the  peace  of  1763  left  his  mind  free  from 
the  cares  of  war.  The  views  which  were  entertained  in  the 
equipment  of  his  first  expedition  are  briefly  expressed  in  th» 
instructions  delivered  to  the  commodore,  a  document  which 
deserves  to  be  quoted  for  its  elevated  sentiments ;  "  Where^ 
as  nothing  can  redound  more  to  the  honour  of  this  nation,  as 
a  maritime  power,  to  the  dignity  of  the  crown  of  Great  Brit* 
ain,  and  to  the  advancement  of  the  trade  and  navigation 
thereof,  than  to  make  discoveries  of  countries  hitherto  un« 
known ;  and  whereas  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  lands  and 
islands  of  great  extent,  hitherto  unvisited  by  any  European 
power,  may  be  found  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  between  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  the  Magellanic  Streight,  within  the 
latitudes  convenient  for  navigation,  and  in  climates  adapted 
to  the  produce  of  commodities  useful  in  commerce;  and 
whereas  his  majesty's  islands  called  Pepys*  Island  and  Falk- 
land's  Islands,  lying  within  the  said  tract,  notwithstanding 
their  having  been  finit  discovered  and  visited  by  British  nav-> 
igators,  have  nev^r  yet  been  so  sufficiently  surveyed^  that  an 
accurate  judgment  may  be  formed  of  their  coasts  and  pro' 
duct;  his  majesty,  taking  the  premises  into  consideration* 
and  conceiving  no  conjuncture  so  proper  for  an  enterprise  of 
this  nature  as  a  time  of  profound  peace,  which  his  kingdoms 
at  present  happily  enjoy,  has  thought  fit  that  it  should  now  be 
und(Brtdten.*** 

*  An  Ae«oant  of  the  Voyages  undertaken  by  the  order  of  Us  orawBt 
Majesty  for  makinf  DIacoTeries  in  the  Soathera  Hemiapbere.  Drawn 
Ap  flrom  the  Joutnala  of  the  Commandera,  and  (torn  the  papers  of  Joseph 
Ranks,  Eaq.  By  John  Hawkeawof  th,  Lfi.D.  London,  177S.  StoIs.  4to. 
General  Introduetion,  p.  i.,  ii.  Thia  work  is  tlie  chief  anthority  (br  the 
three  voyagea  narrated  in  the  present  chapter.  Its  pnblicatim  was  Hital 
to  the  author's  character.  The  dangerous  tendency  of  his  views  on  reli* 
|ion,  the  gratuitous  lubricity  of  hie  deacriptions,  and  hia  groni  and  slov* 
only  inaccuracy,  at  once  excited  a  stoitn  of  popular  iBdlgnstlont  In 
which  perished  ali  the  honour  and  raputation  gained  by  hts  pravious 
writings.  He  waa  ambitioua  to  make  his  book  "  another  Anson's  Vby' 
age;**  but  he  has  imitated  that  lively  and  apirlted  namtivs  in  no  raspeec 
but  in  inattoatlon  to  the  atrietneos  of  truth    Re  v^  eqgaged  to  under 


144 


CIRCUMNAVIOATIONB    OF 


These  instructions  were  dated  the  1 7th  of  June,  1764,  and 
on  the  third  of  July  the  squadron  sailed  from  Plymouth.  It 
consisted  of  two  ships — the  Dolphin  of  twenty-four  guns, 
manned  by  150  men  and  forty-one  officers;  and  the  Tamaiy 
carrying  sixteen  guns,  with  a  crew  of  ninety  seamen  and 
twenty-six  officers.  The  first  of  these  vessels  was  sheathed 
with  copper,  the  better  to  prepare  her  for  the  voyage,  and  it 
said  to  have  been  the  first  ship  so  furnished  in  the  British 
navy.  The  command  of  the  expedition  was  intrusted  to  the 
Honourable  John  Byron,  whose  sufferings,  when  a  midship- 
man on  board  of  the  Wager,  have  been  already  alluded  to. 
From  that  disastrous  enterprise  he  returned  to  his  native  coun- 
try at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  and  having  gone  through  the 
various  steps  of  promotion,  luid  now  attained  the  rank  of  post- 
captain.  The  greatest  secrecy  was  preserved  as  to  the  pre- 
cise object)  in  view  ;  and  so  far  was  this  carried,  that  the  sea- 
men were  enfifagcd  to  sail  for  the  East  Indies.  They  were 
not  undeceived  as  to  their  real  destination  until  the  22d  of 
October,  when,  after  leaving  Hio  Janeiro,  they  were  called  on 
deck  and  informed  that  they  were  bound  on  a  voyage  of  dis- 
covery, in  consequence  of  which  they  were  all  to  be  allowed 
double  pay.  This  intelligence  was  received  with  the  greatest 
joy  imaginable,  and  their  course  was  shaped  towards  the  coast 
of  Patagonia.  They  arrived  at  Port  Desire  on  the  2l8t  of 
November,  and  remained  there  until  the  5th  of  the  next  month, 
when^  having  completed  their  supplies,  they  sailed  in  search 
of  Pepya'  Island — one  of  the  chief  objects  set  forth  in  their 
instructions.  The  land,  to  which  this  name  was  given  in 
honour  of  the  celebrated  Secretary  Pepys,  was  supposed  to 
have  been  discovered,  as  has  been  already  stated,  in  1684,  by 
the  bucaniers  under  Cook,an  the  latitude  of  forty-seven  de- 

Srees  and  forty  minutes.*  Afler  cruising  in  search  of  it  six 
ays,  Byron,  being  now  certain  that  no  such  land  existed  in 
the  situation  laid  down  by  the  editor  of  Cowley's  Journal,  de>- 
termined  again  to  return  to  the  American  continent,  keeping 
a  look-out  for  the  islands  of  Sibald  de  Weert,  which,  by  aS 
the  charts  he  had  on  board,  could  not  be  far  from  his  track.f 
The  hopes  which  seem  to  have  been  cherished  of  finding  in 
these  regions  a  mild  climate  were  now  dissipated,  and  it  wa» 

take  lln  work  by  Lord  Sandwich,  the  first  lord  of  the  Admiralty,  and  hi* 
•wvioM  wen»  remunerated  by  the  munificent  sum  of  600(U. 
*  8ce  aboTO,  p.  1 1 K  f  Hawkesworth's  ColL ,  vol.  i.,  p.  Sb. 


BYRON,  WALLI8,   AND   CARTSRBT.        145 

Agreed  by  all,  that,  except  in  the  length  of  the  day,  there  wa» 
no  difference  between  the  height  of  summer  here  and  the 
depth  of  winter  in  England.  After  a  storm,  which,  the  com- 
modore declares,  surpassed  any  he  experienced  in  weathering 
Cape  Horn  with  Anson,  he  arrived  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Straits  of  Magellan,  where  he  anchored  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape 
de  las  Virgenes. 

A  number  of  horsemen  were  perceived  riding  backward  and 
forward  on  the  coast  opposite  the  ship,  and  waving  something 
of  a  white  colour,  as  if  inviting  the  voyagers  to  land.  Two 
boats  were  accordingly  manned,  and  as  they  drew  near  the 
shore  they  observed  about  600  people,  the  greater  part  of 
whom  were  on  horseback,  waiting  tneir  approach,  still  ma- 
king signals  and  hallooing  with  great  vociferation.  No  weap- 
ons were  seen  among  them;  but  Byron,  notwithstanding, 
considered  it  prudent  to  intimate  by  signs  that  they  shoula^ 
retire  to  some  distance,  a  request  with  which  they  instantly 
complied.  As  soon  as  he  landed  he  drew  up  the  boats*  crewe 
on  the  beach,  and  having  civen  orders  that  none  of  them 
should  leave  their  ranks  until  he  called  or  beckoned  on  them 
to  do  so,  he  advanced  alone  towards  the  savages.  These 
continuing  to  retreat  as  he  approached,  he  made  signs  that 
one  of  them  should  come  near,  when  an  individual  from 
among  their  leaders  walked  towards  him.  **This  chief,*' 
says  he,  "  was  of  a  gigantic  stature,  and  seemed  to  realize  the 
tales  of  monsters  in  a  numan  shape ;  he  had  the  skin  of  some 
wild  beast  thrown  over  his  shoulders,  as  a  Scotch  Highlander 
wears  his  plaid,  and  was  painted  so  as  to  make  the  most  hide- 
ous appearance  I  ever  beheld;  round  one  eye  was  a  larffe 
circle  of  white,  a  circle  of  black  surrounded  the  other,  and  tne^ 
rest  of  his  face  was  streaked  with  paint  of  different  colours. 
I  did  not  measure  him,  but  if  I  may  judge  of  his  height  by 
the  proportion  of  his  stature  to  my  own,  it  could  not  be  n»uoh 
less  than  seven  feet."*  With  "  this  frightful  colossus,**  as  the 
commodore  terms  him,  he  walked  towards  the  natives,  who, 
at  his  request  intimated  by  signs,  sat  down,  when  he  present- 
ed them  with  beads,  ribands,  and  other  trinkets,  all  which 
they  received  with  becoming  composure.  He  describes  the 
whole  of  them  as  "enormous  eoblins,"  and  adds,  that  " few 
of  the  men  were  less  than  the  chief  who  had  coom  torward  to 


*  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  ^ 

N 


146 


■It'iSV 


CIRCVMNAyiGATI0!18  OF 


meet  me.*'    His  lieutenant,  Mr.  Gumming,  "though  six  feet 
two  inches  high,  became  at  once  a  pigmy  amonff  giants ;  for 
these  people  may  indeed  more  properly  be  called  giants  than 
tall  men.**    Another  account  of  the  voyage,  professing  to  be 
written  by  an  officer  of  the  Dolphin,*  says  of  these  savages, 
such  was  their  extraordinary  size,  that  when  sitting  they  were 
almost  as  high  as  the  commodore  when  standing ;   and  adds, 
that  Byron,  though  he  measured  fully  six  feet,  **  and  stood  on 
tiptoe,  could  but  just  reach  the  crown  of  one  of  the  Indians* 
heads,  who  was  not  by  far  the  tallest  among  them.*' — "  The 
women,*'  it  is  said,  "  seemed  to  be  from  seven  and  a  half  to 
eight  feet  high ;  but  the  men  were  for  the  most  part  about 
nine  feet  in  height,  and  some  more.**    The  stature  of  Lieu- 
tenant Gumming  seems  to  have  recommended  him  to  the  h,* 
▼our  of  these  savages,  some  of  whom,  we  are  told,  "  patted 
him  on  the  shoulder ;  but  their  hands  fell  with  such  force  that 
it'dfected  his  whole  frame.'*    That  these  statements  much 
exaggerate  the  size  of  the  people  on  the  Magellanic  Straits 
there  can  be  little  doubt,  while  it  is  equally  certain,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  they  are  not  without  some  foundation,  f    By- 
ron*s  own  statement  makes  them  less  than  seven  feet,  and 
even  this  he  does  not  give  as  the  result  of  actual  measure- 
ment, but  as  the  conclusion  he  came  to  from  comparing  his 
own  figure  with  that  of  the  chief.    Making  allowance  for  the  un- 
certainty attending  such  a  mode  of  computation,  there  seems  to 
be  no  ground  for  questioning  the  veracity  of  the  commodore, 
though  the  stories  in  the  anonymous  account  are  evidently  fab- 
ulous.   Lieutenant  Gumming,  who  acts  so  prominent  a  part 
in  these  relations,  when  afterward  questioned  on  the  subject, 
evinced  some  reluctance  to  enter  on  the  discussion ;  "  but  at 


*  A  Voyage  round  the  World  in  his  M^esty's  Ship  the  Dolphin,  com* 
manded  by  the  Honourable  Commodore  Byron.  By  an  Officer  on  board 
the  said  Ship.    London,  1767.    P.  44-53. 

t  See  Lives  and  Voyages  6f  Drake,  Cavendish,  and  Dampier,  p.  lOL 
note.  Mr.  Weddel  (Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  in  the  years  1833-24, 
London,  18S5)  thinlu  "  that  those  with  whom  Commodore  Byrun  com< 
munieated  were  probably  chielb ;  but  it  is  more  than  probable  that  this 
tribe,  of  whatever  size,  were  not  inhabitants  or  the  shore,  but  or  the 
interior,  and  (tarn  the  country  fltrther  to  the  northward,  and  oT  course 
seldom,  perhaps  never,  on  the  shores  cf  the  Straits  when  any  vessels 
touched  there,  since  that  time."  He  adds,  that  more  northern  Patago- 
Bians  had  been  seen  by  his  officers,  •'  who  described  them  to  be  gsBeraily 
abottt  six  Aet  high,  well  proportioned,  and  appearing  upon  ths  whole 
above  the  ordinary  siie."— P.  300. 


BYRON,   WALLI8,   AND  CARTERET.        147 

length  it  was  partly  gathered  and  partly  extorted  from  him, 
that  had  the  occurrence  taken  place  anywhere  else  than  at 
Patagonia,  they  should  have  set  them  down  as  good  sturdy 
savages,  and  thought  no  farther  about  them.'** 

Byron  now  sailed  up  the  Straits  as  far  as  Port  Famine,  to 
procure  a  supply  of  wood  and  water  before  he  proceeded  to 
search  for  the  Falkland  Islands.  It  was  the  month  of  Decem- 
ber, the  midsummer  of  these  regions,  and  their  wild  shores  were 
clothed  with  a  luxuriance  of  vegetation.  The  voyagers  ob- 
served the  ground  covered  with  flowers  of  various  hues,  which 
loaded  the  air  with  their  fragrance ;  innumerable  clusters  of  ber- 
ries glistened  on  the  bushes ;  amid  the  rich  grass  and  pea-blos- 
soms there  were  seen  feeding  large  flocks  of  birds  of  uncom- 
mon bei^';s^/;  and  forests  grew  by  the  banks  of  the  rivers, 
abounding  with  trees  fit  to  be  masts  for  the  largest  ships  in 
the  British  navy.  Woods  spread  up  the  sides  of  the  hills 
from  the  water's  edge ;  but  the  mountains  farther  inland  were 
bleak  and  bare,  and  their  rugged  summits,  covered  with 
snow,  were  seen  towering  high  above  those  nearest  the  shore. 
Drift-wood  was  also  found  in  large  quantities.  After  a  short 
stay  the  vessels  completed  their  stores,  and  on  the  4th  of 
January,  1765,  weighed  anchor  and  steered  back  through  the 
Straits. 

On  the  11th,  high,  craggy,  barren  rocks  were  observed, 
much  resembling  Staten  Land;  innumerable  quantities  of 
seals  and  birds  were  remarked,  and  many  whales  approached 
the  ships,  some  of  them  of  a  very  great  size.  On  the  15th  a 
harbour  was  discovered,  so  capacious  that  the  whole  navy  of 
England  might  ride  in  it ;  to  which,  in  honour  of  the  first  lord 
of  the  Admiralty,  the  name  of  Port  E^ont  was  given.  By- 
ron now  became  convinced  that  the  islands  he  had  reached 
were  the  Pepys'  Island  of  Cowley,  the  Maiden-land  of  Haw- 
kins, and  the  Falklands  of  later  geographers ;  and  under  this 
last  name  he  took  possession  of  them  for  the  British  crown,  a 
ceremony  which,  it  has  been  remarked,  the  tenour  of  his  in- 
Btructioos  rendered  superfluous.    On  leaving  this  group,  he 


*  This  anecdote  appears  in  a  Memoir  of  the  Hononrable  Jobn  Byron, 

Sraflxed  to  an  edition  of  bio  narrative  publisbed  at  Edinburgh  in  1813  by 
ohn  Bailantyne  A  Co.  Mr.  Camming's  statement  was  made  to  the  late 
Captain  Robert  Scott  of  Sosebanic,  uncle  of  Sir  Walter  Scott.  "The 
writer  of  this  memoir,**  it  is  said,  "had  the  pleasure  of  Captain  Scott's 
personal  acquaintanoe,  flrom  whom  he  bad  this  anecdote."— P.  80. 


148 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS    OP 


atood  towards  Port  Desire,  where  he  met  the  store-ship  which 
had  been  despatched  from  England  with  provisions.  He  then 
returned  to  the  Straits,  to  pass  into  the  South  Sea ;  which, 
however,  he  did  not  reach  till  the  beginning  of  April,  the  pas- 
sage having  occupied  seven  weeks  and  two  days. 

With  the  view  of  preserving  secrecy,  the  Island  of  Mas- 
afuera  had  been  selected  as  a  watering-place  in  preference  to 
that  of  Juan  Fernandez ;  but  a  heavy  surf  which  broke  on  its 
rocky  shore  prevented  him  from  obtaining  a  full  supply. 
Hence  Byron  steered  nearly  due  north,  until  he  attained  the 
latitude  of  26°  46',  when  he  changed  his  course  to  the  west- 
ward, in  order  to  bear  down  upon  Davis's  Land  or  Easter 
Island  ;  but,  finding  his  progress  slow,  he  sailed  to  the  north- 
wMt,  in  order  to  profit  by  the  trade-wind.  On  the  morning 
of  the  7th  of  June,  he  was  in  the  latitude  of  14°  6'  south,  and 
longitude  144°  68'  west,  when  he  discovered  two  islands,  to 
the  smaller  of  which  he  directed  his  prow.  As  he  drew  near, 
it  presented  the  most  beautiful  appearance ;  the  sea  broke 
upon  a  beach  of  the  finest  white  sand,  and  the  interior  was 
covered  with  tall  trees  grouped  into  delightful  groves.  Many 
of  the  natives,  armed  with  spears,  appeared  on  the  strand, 
where  they  lighted  several  fires,  apparently  as  signals;  for 
similar  tokens  instantly  blazed  upon  the  other  island.  A  boat 
was  despatched  to  search  for  anchorage,  but  returned  without 
having  found  any.  The  scurvy  had  by  this  time  made  dread- 
ful havoc  among  the  crews,  and  such  of  the  sick  as  were 
able  to  crawl  on  d'^ck  ''  stood  gazing  at  this  little  paradise, 
which  nature  had  forbidden  them  to  enter ;"  where  they  saw 
cocoanuts  hanging  fvom  the  trees  in  laige  clusters,  the  shores 
strewed  with  the  shells  o^  turtle,  while  the  wind  wafted  to 
them  the  fragrance  of  the  finest  fruits.  As  no  anchoring- 
ground  was  found  near  the  other  island,  the  captain  was  com- 
pelled to  quit  these  inaccessible  shores,  on  which  he  bestowed 
the  name  of  Disappointment.  The  natives  were  of  a  deep 
copper-colour,  well  proportioned  in  their  limbs,  and  of  great 
activity  and  vigour. 

On  the  evening  of  the  9th,  land  was  again  descried,  and, 
on  more  minute  examination,  was  ascertained  to  consist  of 
two  islands,  which,  in  honour  of  his  majesty,  were  called 
King  George's.  While  the  boats  sailed  along  the  coast  of 
cne  of  them  in  search  of  anchorage,  the  hostile  intentions  of 
the  natives  were  so  clearly  manSested  that  it  was  deemed 


wi 

Ull 

chj 


BYRON,  WALLI89  AKD  CARTBRBT.        149 

BecefHMry  to  fire.  Two  or  three  of  them  were  slain ;  one  of 
whom,  ener  being  pierced  hj  three  balls,  seized  a  large  stone, 
and  died  in  the  act  of  throwing^  it  againct  his  enemy,  No  an- 
chorage was  discovered ;  but  it  vrw  nevertheless  thought  ex- 
pedient to  land  part  of  the  crews,  in  order  to  procure  a  supply 
of  cocoanuts  and  scurvy-grass.  As  the  people  had  fled,  their 
dwellings  were  totally  deserted,  except  by  their  dogs,  which 
kept  up  an  incessant  howling  as  long  as  the  seamen  continued 
on  shore.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  the  huts,  beneath  the  thick 
shade  of  lofty  trees,  were  observed  stone  buildings,  which, 
from  their  description,  seem  to  have  atmiewhat  resembled  the 
cromlechs  of  the  ancient  Qritons,  and  were  conjectured  to  be 
burying-places.  When  the  boats  drew  near  to  the  shore 
of  the  other  island,  n  old  man  of  a  venerable  appearance,  and 
wearinff  a  long  uh-  I'  ard,  accompanied  by  a  youth,  came 
forward  from  the  >  v,  of  savages.  He  appeared  to  be  a 
chief,  and  in  one  h»uu  neld  the  green  branch  of  a  tree,  while 
with  the  other  he  pressed  his  beard  to  his  bosom,  and  in  this 
attitude  commenced  a  long  oration,  the  periods  of  which  had 
a  musical  cadence  by  no  means  disagreeable.  During  this 
cnpeech  the  people  in  the  boats  threw  him  several  presents,  but 
these  he  would  not  suffer  to  be  touched  until  he  had  finished 
his  harangue ;  upon  which,  advancing  into  the  water,  he  threw 
the  green  brancn  to  the  seamen,  and  then  picked  up  their 
gifts.  Encouraged  by  these  friendly  signs,  one  of  the  mid- 
sh^ipmen  swam  through  the  surf  to  the  shore,  and  several 
of  the  natives  came  on  to  the  boats,  bringing  with  them  cocoa* 
nuts  and  fresh  water.  This  island  lies  in  latitude  14°  41% 
and  longitude  149°  16'. 

On  quitting  it  Byron  ptood  to  the  westward,  and  in  Uie 
afternoon  of  me  next  day  discovered  a  small  island,  of  a  green 
and  pleasant  appearance,  but  surrounded  by  many  rocks  and 
islets,  which  occasioned  dreadful  breakers.  It  appearing, 
however,  to  be  inhabited,  was  named  after  the  Prince  of 
Wales;  and  is  now  believed  to  be  the  same  with  the  Fly 
Island  of  Schouten  and  Le  Maire.*  While  in  this  vicini^ 
the  commodore  became  in^pressed  with  the  opinion  that  land 
existed  not  far  to  the  south,  as  well  from  the  discontinuance 
of  a  heavv  swell  M^h  had  prevailed  for  some  time,  as  from 
the  vast  nocks  of  birds  which,  as  evening  closed  in,  always 

*  0se  absvs,  p.  91. 

N2 


150 


CIRCUMNATIOATIONS  OF 


took  thoir  flight  in  that  direction.  The  unhealthy  state  of  hit 
crew,  however,  prevented  him  from  going  in  search  of  it ;  and 
the  discovery  of  Otaheite  and  the  Society  Isles  was,  accord- 
ingly, reserved  for  the  more  auspicious  fortune  of  Wallis. 
Byron's  course  was  now  directed  northwestward ;  and,  after 
having  sailed  more  than  300  leagues,  he  observed,  on  the  21st 
of  June,  a  cluster  probably  identical  wilh  the  San  Bernardo  of 
Mendana,*  which,  from  the  shoals  and  stormy  sea  that  for- 
bade approach  to  them,  he  denominated  the  Islands  of  Dan- 
ger. 1  nree  days  later,  while  pursuing  liis  course  in  a  west- 
erly direction,  he  perceived  another  island,  to  which  he  gave 
the  name  of  the  Duke  of  York  ;  and  on  the  2d  of  July,  in  lat- 
imde  1°  18'  south,  longitude  173°  46'  east,  he  approached 
one,  low  and  flat,  but  well  covered  with  wood.  About  1000 
natives  appeared  on  the  beach,  and  more  than  sixty  canoes 
pulled  otf  from  the  shore,  and  ranged  themselves  round  the 
ships.  The  savages  were  tall  and  well  formed ;  their  com- 
plexion a  bright  copper  colour ;  their  hair  long  and  black,  in 
'wae  tied  up  behind  in  a  great  bunch,  in  others  arr&nged  into 
throe  knots ;  their  features  good,  and  marked  by  an  expression 
of  cheerful  intrepidity.  They  were  perfectly  naked,  wearing 
nothing  on  their  persons  but  some  ornaments  of  shells  on  their 
necks,  wrists,  and  waists.  One,  who  appeared  to  be  a  chief, 
had  a  string  of  human  teeth  round  his  body.  Their  arms 
consisted  of  a  kind  of  spear,  broad  at  the  end,  and  stuck  full 
of  shark^s  teeth  as  sharp  as  lancets.  One  of  these  savages 
swam  to  the  ship  and  ran  up  the  side  like  a  cat,  and  havmg 
stepped  over  the  gunwale  sat  down  on  it  and  hurst  into  a  vio- 
lent fit  of  laughter,  then  started  up  and  ran  all  over  the  ship, 
attempting  to  steal  evcry^  thing  that  came  in  his  way.  A 
jacket  aiKl  tro\isers  were  put  upon  him,  and  his  gestures, 
which  were  like  those  "  of  a  monkey  newly  dressed,"  pro- 
duced much  merriment  among  the  seamen ;  and,  after  playing 
a  thousand  antic  tricks,  he  leaped  overbdard,  and  swam  in  his 
new  garments  to  his  canoe.  Finding  it  impossible  to  procure 
refreshments  for  the  sick,  the  ships  were  obliged  to  make  sail 
from  this  place,  which  was  named  Byron's  Island. 

0:^1  the  30th  of  June  tho  squadron  came  in  sight  of  Tinian, 
and  on  the  81st  anchored  in  the  very  same  spot  where  Lord 
Anson  fofmerly  lay  with   the  Centurion.    The  aspect  of 

*  P«e  above,  p.  69. 


01 


■"^'h- 


BYRON,  WALLI8,  AND  CARTBRBT.       151 


thtngi  was  to  them,  however,  Very  different  from  the  high- 
wrought  (leRcription  of  the  former  voyage.  "  I  am  indeed  of 
'  opinion,"  says  the  commodore,  "  that  this  is  one  of  the  most 
unhealthy  spots  in  the  world,  at  least  during  the  season  in 
which  we  were  hero.  The  rains  were  violent  and  almost  inces- 
sant, and  the  heat  was  so  great  as  to  threaten  us  with  suffo- 
cation. .  .  .  We  were  incessantly  tormented  by  the  flies 
in  the  day,  and  by  the  moschotoes  in  the  night  The  island 
also  swarms  with  centipedes  and  scorpions,  and  a  large  black 
ant  scarcely  inferior  to  cither  in  the  malignity  of  its  bite. 
Besides  these  there  were  venomous  insects  without  number,  al- 
together unknown  to  us,  ,bv  which  many  of  us  suffered  so  se- 
verely that  weiwere  afraid  to  lie  down  in  our  beds."*  Till 
the  period  of  his  arrival  there,  not  one  of  the  crew  had  died  ; 
but  while  at  that  island  two  were  lost  in  a  fever ;  those  afflicted 
with  the  scurvy,  indeed,  recovered  very  quickly.  He  stayed 
nine  weeks,  when,  the  health  of  his  crew  being  re-established 
and  a  stock  of  provisions  laid  in,  he  proceeded  to  Batavia, 
where  he  remained  until  the  10th  of  December,  at  which 
time  he  sot  sail  for  England.  An  accident  having  happened 
to  the  Tamar  which  rendered  it  necessary  that  she  'mould 
run  down  to  Antigua  to  be  repaired,  the  vessels  partea  com- 
pany on  the  1st  of  April,  1766  ;  and  on  the  7th  of  May  the 
Dolphin  made  the  islands  of  Scilly,  after  a  voyago  of  some- 
thing more  t  an  two-and-twcnty  months. 

In  little  ni  o  than  three  monthr  after  the  return  of  Com- 
modore Byron,  mother  expedition  was  sent  out  to  prosecute 
the  same  general  design  of  making  discoveries  in  the  southern 
hemisphere.  It  consisted  of  the  Dolphin,  which  was  equipped 
as  before,  and  of  the  Swallow,  a  sloop  mounting  fourteen 
guns,  with  a  complement  of  ninety  men,  besides  twenty-four 
officers.  The  latter  was  commanded  by  Captain  Philip  Car- 
teret ;  while  Captain  Samuel  Wallis,  wh^  hoisted  his  pendant 
in  the  Dolphin,  was  intrusted  with  the  general  superintend- 
ence of  the  enterprise.  The  vessels  sailed  from  Plymouth 
on  the  22d  August,  1766,  attended  by  a  store-ship,  which,  after 
landing  her  cargo  at  Po;  t  Famine,  proceeded  with  a  load  of 
drift-wood  and  young  t  ees  for  the  use  of  a  British  colony 
established  that  year  at  Port  Egmont  in  the  Falkland  Islands. 
On  the  16th  of  December  they  anchored  near  Cape  de  las 

*  Hawkesworth'i  Coll.,  vol.  I,  p.  118. 


152 


CIRCUMNAYiaATIONS  OF 


»,,:• 


Virgenes,  at  the  eastern  entrance  of  the  Straits  of  Magellan. 
Several  of  the  natives  were  observed  riding  along  the  beach 
abreast  of  the  ship,  and  during  the  night  they  made  great 
fires  and  frequently  shouted  very  loud.  In  the  morning  some 
boats  were  manned  and  stood  towards  the  shore,  where,  hav- 
ing  landed,  Wallis  distributed  several  trinkets  to  the  savages, 
and  took  an  opportunity  of  ascertaining  their  height  by  actual 
measurement.  One  of  them  was  sue  fleet  seven  inches ; 
several  reached  six  feet  and  a  half ;  and  the  average  of  their 
stature,  according  to  him,  was  from  five  feet  ten  to  six  feet ; 
while  Carteret  says,  "  th^  were  in  general  all  from  six  feet 
to  six  feet  five  inches.  "*  In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  they 
entered  the  Straits,  and  on  the  26th  arrived  at  Port  Famine, 
where  they  remained  till  the  middle  of  January,  1767 ;  the  sick 
being  sent  on  shore,  and  tents  erected  on  the  banks  of  the 
Sedffer  River.  Their  passage  thence  was  so  stormy  and 
tedious  that  they  did  not  reach  the  westem  mouth  of  die 
Straits  till  the  11th  of  April,  "after,"  says  the  author,  "hav« 
ing  been  for  near  four  months  in  a  dreary  resion,  where  we 
were  in  almost  perpetual  danger  of  shipwreck,  and  where  in 
the  midst  of  summer  the  weather  was  cold,  gloomy,  and  temK 
pestuous."t  On  the  very  day  that  they  entered  the  South 
Sea  the  two  vessels  parted  company,  and  did  not  again 
meet. 

Captain  Wallis,  who  held  his  course  to  the  northwest,  suf- 
fered much  from  the  severity  of  the  climate  and  the  attacks 
of  the  scurvy.  At  length,  on  the  3d  of  June,  several  ganete 
were  seen,  which,  along  with  the  variableness  of  tjie  winds, 
led  to  the  hope  that  land  was  not  far  distant.  The  next  day 
a  turtle  swam  past  the  ship ;  many  birds  were  seen  on  the 
5th ;  and  on  tho  succeedins  noon  the  sight  of  a  low  island  at 
the  distance  of  five  or  six  leagues  dififused  universal  joy  on 
board.  As  they  dr^w  near,*^a  second  was  descried  to  the 
northwestward,  and  two  canoes  were  seen  paddling  quickly 
from  the  one  to  the  other.  The  shores  were  examined  in 
vain  for  an  anchorage ;  but  the  boats  which  landed  procured 

*  **  A  Letter  fVom  Philip  Cart«rat,  Esq.,  Captain  of  the  Swallow  Sloop, 
to  Matthew  Maty,  M.D.,  Sec.  R.(i!.,  on  the  Inhabitants  of  the  CkMwt  or 
Patagonia.'*— Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  Ix.,  p.  90-96.  Carterd 
•ailed  with  Commodore  Byron,  and  expresses  his  chagrin  that  Captain 
Wallis  neglected  to  acquire  a  greater  knowledge  of  these  savages. 

t  Hawkeswortl^  Coll.,  v<rt  i.,  p.  IW. 


1  .■ 


A*" 


BYRONy  WALLIS,  AND  CARTBRET. 


153 


It  of 
lent 


•.^•"*'  J 


t"^'- 


cocoanuta  and  scurvy-grass :  no  inhabitants  were  seen, 
though  some  huts  and  skiffs  attested  their  recent  presence. 
The  captain  gave  it  the  name  of  Whitsunday  Island.  He 
describes  it  as  about  four  miles  in  length  and  three  in  breadth ; 
but  a  later  voyager  has  reduced  its  length  to  a  .e  and  a  half, 
and  assigned  to  it  a  situation  forty  miles  westward  of  that 
mentioned  by  his  predecessor.*  He  now  stood  for  the  other 
island,  and  sent  out  the  boats,  which  sailed  along  the  beach 
until  dark ;  but  though  they  procured  some  water  and  cocoa- 
nuts,  they  returned  to  the  ship  without  finding  safe  ground. 
Next  morning,  they  were  again  despatched  with  instructions 
to  effect  a  regular  landing ;  which  they  no  sooner  did  than 
all  the  inhabitants  embarked,  and  sailed  away  to  the  west- 
ward. This  island,  where 'WaUis  remained  two  days  longer, 
he  named  after  Queen  Charlotte.  It  is  estimated  by  him  to 
be  about  six  miles  long  and  one  broad,  and  is  said  to  abound 
in  cocoanut  trees  ;  but  these  appear  to  have  been  completely 
eradicated  since  the  time  of  his  visit,  f 

Having  directed  his  course  to  the  westward,  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  same  day,  which  was  the  10th  of  June,  he  dis« 
covered  another  island,  on  which  he  found  congregated  the 
savages  who  had  fled  from  Queen  Charlotte's,  along  with 
some  others,  amounting  in  all  to  about  fourscore.  The  men 
were  armed  with  pikes  and  firebrands,  and  advanced  before 
the  women  and  children,  making  a  great  noise,  and  dancing 
in  a  strange  manner.  This  island,  which  seems  to  have  been 
selected  as  a  place  of  retreat,  for  which  its  inaccessible 
shores  rendered  it  well  adapted.  Captain  Wallis  denominated 
Egmont,  in  honour  of  the  earl  of  that  name,  the  first  lord  of 
the  Admiralty.  :t  The  next  momin{;  another  island  was  seen, 
resembling  the  one  just  described  in  all  respects  except  in 

*  Narrative  of  a  Voyage  to  the  Pacific  and  Beering's  Strait,  in  the 
years  1825-'26-27-28,  to  co-operate  with  the  Polar  Expeditions.  By 
Capt.  F.  W.  Beechey.  2  vols.  8vo.  London,  1831,  vol.  i.,  p.  205.  Wal- 
lis placed  it  in  latitude  19^  26'  S.,  longitude  137°  56'  W.  Captain  Beechey 
raalces  its  latitude  19'=>23'  38"  S.,  and  its  longitude  138*'  36'  48"  W. 

t  Beechey,  vol.  i.,  p.  207.  No  cause  has  been  assigned  for  this  sin* 
guiar  change. 

X  The  latitude  assigned  by  Wallis  is  19^  SO'  8.,  the  longitude  138°  30 
W.  Captain  Beechey's  tables  give  the  latitude  of  the  north  and  south' 
west  extremities,  the  former  19"  22'  59"  S.,  the  latter  lO**  24'  26",  the 
longitude  of  the  same  spots  139<>  12'  03"  W.,  and  139°  14'  34".  Captain 
Beechey  calls  this  "  the  second  discovery  of  Captain  Wallis,"  vol.  i.,  p. 
210,  apparently  forgetting  Queen  Charlotte's  Island. 


t''  i 
1 


Hi " 


\m 


>  \i 


I 


154 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   0^ 


breadth ;  but  a  high  sea  which  broke  on  its  rocky  beach  ren- 
dered landing  impossible.  Sixteen  natives  were  observed, 
armed  like  the  otners.  It  was  called  Gloucester ;  and  later 
navigators,  while  they  assign  to  it  a  different  position,  bear 
testimony  to  the  accuracy  of  his  description,  though  its  pre»> 
ent  form  and  extent  are  said  to  dilfer  materially.  On  the 
12th  an  island  was  observed,  which  was  denominated  Cum- 
berland ;  while  the  name  of  Prince  William  Henry  was  be- 
stowed on  a  small  low  one  descried  at  a  distance  on  the  day- 
break of  the  13th.  The  variety  of  longitudes  assigned  to 
these  places  has  led  succeeding  observers  to  claim  them  as 
new  discoveries ;  and,  exercising  the  privilege  of  a  first  vis- 
iter, the  French  officer  Dcperrey  seems  to  have  conferred  on 
Prince  William  Henry's  the  new  title  of  L'Ostange.*  On 
the  17th  land  was  seen  in  the  northwest :  it  was  high,  and 
covered  with  cocoa-trees;  but  as  no  anchorage  could  be 
found,  Wallis,  after  procuring  a  few  articles  of  refreshment, 
pursued  his  course,  bestowing  on  the  countiy  the  title  oif 
Osnaburg — a  name  which  has  since  given  place  to  the  native 
appellation  of  Maitea. 

In  about  half  an  hour  after  very  lofty  ground  was  discerned 
to  the  west  southwest ;  but  though  the  ship  was  immediately 
steered  towards  it,  owing  to  adverse  weather  she  did  not 
reach  it  that  night.  The  next  morning,  which  broke  clear 
and  fair,  showed  it  at  the  distance  of  five  leagues.  At  eight 
o'clock  they  were  close  under  it,  when  a  tmck  fog  obliged 
them  to  lie  to,  and  for  a  time  concealed  from  them  the  shores 
of  Otaheite.  At  length  the  mists  rolled  away,  and  they  saw 
before  them  a  countiy  of  "  the  most  delightnil  and  romantic 
appearance  that  could  be  imagined;"  along  the  coast  ex- 
tended fertile  plains  covered  with  fruit-trees  of  various  kinds, 
and  unbosomed  among  tjdese  were  seen  the  houses  of  the 
natives ;  the  interior  rose  into  towering  mountains  crowned 
with  wood,  and  large  rivers  were  seen  falling  from  the  rocks 
in  picturesque  cascades.  Around  the  ship  the  water  was 
studded  with  some  hundreds  of  canoes  of  various  sizes,  con- 
taining about  800  individuals,  who  sat  gazing  at  her  in  great 
astonishment,  and,  by  turns,  conversed  one  with  another. 
Their  wonder  was  excited  by  other  circumstances  besides 
the  vast  bulk  and  strange  construction  of  the  Dolphin ;  they 

*  Beeobey,  vol.  i.,  p.  919,  S90. 


BYRON*  WAILI8,  AND  CARTBRET.         155 


beheld  the  fulfilment  of  a  prophecy,  which  had  been  handed 
down  to  them  from  remote  times,  but  was  of  a  nature  so  in- 
credible, that  they  scarcely  expected  it  would  ever  come  to 
pass.  One  of  their  sages,  named  Maui,  had  in  an  inspired 
moment  foretold,  that  "  in  future  ages  a  vaa  ama  ore,  literal- 
ly, an  outriggerless  canoe,"  would  come  to  their  shores  from 
a  distant  land.  An  outrigger  being  indispensable  to  keep 
their  barks  upright  in  the  water,  they  could  not  believe  that  a 
vessel  without  one  could  live  at  sea,  until,  on  looking  on  the 
magnificent  structure  before  them,  they  unanimously  declared 
that  the  prediction  of  Maui  was  fulfilled,  and  that  the  fated 
ship  had  arrived.*  After  having  consulted  together  for  some 
time,  they  paddled  their  canoes  round  the  vessel,  making  va- 
rious signs  of  friendship,  and  a  person,  holding  in  his  hand 
a  branch  of  the  plantain-tree,  spoke  about  fifteen  minutes, 
and  concluded  by  throwing  the  bough  into  the  sea.  Soon 
after,  one  was  prevailed  on  to  come  on  board,  but  would  not 
accept  the  presents  offered  to  him  until  some  of  his  compan- 
ions, after  "  much  talk,"  threw  a  few  similar  twigs  on  the 
deck.     Several  of  the  others  soon  imitated  his  example. 

*  Polynesian  Researches,  during  a  residence  of  nearly  fiiglit  Years  in 
tbe  Society  and  Sandwich  Islands.  By  William  Ellis.  9d  idiiion,  Lon- 
don, 1831,  vol.  i.,  p.  388.  Mr.  Ellis's  account  or  the  native  traditions  re- 
garding the  arrival  or  Wallis  is  hardly  reconcileable  with  fhcis.  He 
says,  that  when  the  people  lirst  saw  the  ships,  they  were  induced  to 
suppose  them  "  islands  inhabited  by  a  supernatural  order  of  beings,  at 
whose  direction  lightnings  flashed,  thunders  roared,  and  the  destroying 
demon  slew  with  insuntaneous  but  invisible  strokes  the  most  daring 
and  valiant  or  their  warriors.  Bvi  when  they  ajtenvard  went  alon/faide^ 
or  ventured  on  board,^  Ac,  they  discovered  them  to  be  ships,  and  *'ice'-e 
conftrmed  in  this  interpretation  when  they  taw  the  amall  boats  belong' 
ing  to  the  ships  employed  in  passing  to  and  fro  between  the  vessel  and 
the  shore.^— Vol.  i.,  p.  384.  But,  in  point  or  fact,  the  natives  came  along- 
side, ventured  on  board,  and  became  fhmiliar  with  the  boats,  before  they 
knew  any  thing  of  the  "  lightning- flash  and  thunder-roar,"  or  tbe  dead- 
ly efTeots  of  firearms.  There  are  one  or  two  similar  inaccuracies  in 
Mr.  Ellis's  valuable  work  with  regard  to  the  early  visiters.  He  seems 
almost  to  have  forgotten  that  Wallis  was  expressly  sent  out  to  prosecute 
the  discovery  of  new  lands ;  fbr  he  attributes  the  arrival  at  Otaheite  to 
**  accident,  so  flir  as  Captain  Wallis  was  concerned."— Vol.  ii ,  p.  1. 
The  result  of  a  concerted  expedition  can  scarcely  be  called  '*  accident ;" 
nor  can  we  see  the  distinctiun  on  which  the  discoveries  of  Cook  are  at- 
tributed to  a  desire  for  **  the  advancement  of  knowledge,"  and  those  of 
Wallis  ascribed  to  chance  The  discovery  of  Sagitaria  by  Quiros  oe- 
iBurred  In  the  bsginning  of  tbe  seventeenth^  not  *'  towards  tkttnAo/ths 
sixteenth  century,"  as  stated  by  Mr.  Ellis,  vol.  i.,  p.  6. 


i 
I 


,# 


f\ 


1)56 


CIRCUMNATI0ATI0N8   OF 


( 


.^. 


On©  of  them  was  attacked  by  a  goat,  which  butted  at  him, 
and,  on  turning  hastily  round,  tho  appoaranco  of  an  animal 
so  new  to  him,  raised  on  its  hind  legs  preparing  to  repeat  the 
blow,  struck  him  with  such  terror  that  he  instantly  leaped 
into  the  water,  and  was  followed  by  all  his  countrymen.  In 
a  brief  space,  however,  they  again  ventured  on  deck,  and 
were  presented  with  trinkets  and  nails  ;  their  visit  being  ter- 
minated by  one  of  them  snatching  a  new  lacod  hat  from  a 
midshipman^s  head,  and  springing  with  his  plunder  over  tho 
•hip*s  side. 

No  anchorage  being  found  here,  Wallis  stood  along  the 
shore,  the  boats  keeping  close  to  the  land  to  sound.  In  tho 
aflemoon  they  n^ached  a  large  bay,  where  a  great  number  of 
canoes  came  around  them  ;  and  the  captain,  suspecting  their 
l^ostilo  intentions,  made  a  signal  for  his  people  to  join,  while, 
to  intimidate  tho  savages,  he  tired  a  nino-pounder  over  their 
heads.  Though  startled  by  the  report,  they  endeavoured  to 
cut  oflf  the  boats,  and  made  an  attack  with  stones,  which 
wounded  several  seamen^  when  a  musket  was  tired  at  the  man 
who  had  commenced  the  assault.  The  shot  pierced  hiH  st;ioul- 
der,  and  as  soon  as  the  wound  was  perceived  by  his  compan- 
ions they  leaped  into  the  sea ;  while  the  others  ))adclled 
away  in  great  terror  and  confusion.  Not  long  after  a  canoe 
came  off  to  the  ship,  and  one  of  the  natives,  having  spoken 
about  Ave  minutes,  threw  a  branch  of  the  plantain-tree  on 
board,  a  token  of  peace  which  the  English  accepted,  and  gave 
him  some  trinkets,  with  which  he  departed  apparently  well 
pleased.  Next  morning  the  search  for  anchoring-ground  was 
renewed,  and  continued  during  all  that  day  ;  in  the  evening 
the  Dolphin  lay  to  abreast  of  a  tine  river,  and  a  great  number 
of  lights  was  observed  along  the  shore  throughout  the  night. 
At  dawn,  anchorage  was^obtained  ;  and  as  soon  as  the  vessel 
was  secured,  the  boats  were  sent  out  to  examine  the  coast  and 
seek  for  a  watering-place.  When  they  approached  the  land, 
the  canoes  which  were  engaged  in  traffic  with  the  ci-ew  sailed 
after  them,  and  three  of  the  largest  ran  at  the  cutter  and 
staved  in  her  quarter,  while  the  islanders  made  themselves 
ready  to  board  her.  The  party  fired,  and  two  of  the  natives 
fell  into  the  sea  ;  on  which  the  attack  was  instantly  abandoned. 
Their  companions  pulled  the  men  who  had  fallen  overboard 
from  the  water  and  set  them  on  their  feet ;  finding  they  could 
not  stand,  it  was  tried  if  they  could  sit  upright ;  one  of  them. 


BYRON)  WALLI8,   AND  CARTERET.        157 


who  was  only  wounded,  was  able  when  supported  to  retain 
this  posture  ;  but  the  other,  who  was  dead,  they  laid  in  the 
bottom  of  the  canoe.  Notwithstanding  this  afi'ray,  some  of 
them  speedily  resumed  their  traffic,  and  an  amicable  inter- 
course was  maintained  during  the  time  the  Dolphin  lay  there. 
The  men  despatched  to  procure  water  found  the  beach  lined 
with  inhabitants,  who  endeavoured  to  entice  them  on  shore  by 
every  expedient  they  could  devise  ;  but,  unwilling  to  trust 
those  whose  hostile  dispositions  they  had  so  lately  pxporionccd, 
landing  was  postponed  until  the  ship  should  be  moored  so  as 
to  cover  them  with  her  guns. 

At  daybreak  on  the  23d  June,  while  standing  off  to  efTcct 
this  object,  a  bay  six  or  eight  miles  to  leeward  was  discovered 
from  the  mast-head,  and  Wallis  immediately  bore  away  for  it. 
As  he  stood  in  to  this  harbour,  the  Dolphin  suddenly  struck 
on  a  coral  reef ;  but  after  beating  against  it  about  an  hour,  a 
fresh  breeze  springing  up,  she  swung  off  and  shortly  after  came 
to  anchor  within  it.  The  next  morning  they  proceeded  to 
warp  the  ship  farther  in,  when  a  great  number  of  people  came 
off  and  engaged  in  traffic,  by  which  hogs,  fowls,  and  fruit 
were  exchanged  for  knives,  nails,  and  beads.  As  the  day  ad- 
vanced, the  canoes  gradually  increased  ;  and  the  captain  ob- 
served with  some  anxiety  the  appearance  of  those  which  last 
arrived.  They  were  double,  and  of  a  very  large  size,  con- 
taining little  else  but  round  pebble  stones,  and  each  was 
manned  by  twelve  or  fifteen  stout  fellows.  From  these  circum- 
stances, it  was  judged  prudent  to  keep  one  of  the  watches 
constantly  under  arms,  while  the  rest  of  the  crew  were  en- 
gaged in  warping  the  ship.  Meanwhile  more  of  the  small 
craft  continued  to  arrive  ;  although  those  which  now  moved 
from  the  shore  presented  any  thing  but  a  warlike  aspect.  They 
were  filled  with  females,  who  tried  every  art  to  attract  the  at- 
tention of  the  sailors  :  while  the  double  canoes  were  closing 
round  the  Dolphin,  some  of  the  savages  onboard  of  them  sung 
in  a  hoarse  voice,  others  sounded  the  conch,  and  a  third  party 
plft^ed  on  an  instrument  resembling  a  flute.  One,  who  sat  on 
a  Tanopy  fixed  on  his  small  boat,  now  came  alongside  and 
handed  up  a  bunch  of  red  and  yellow  feathers.  Wallis  re- 
ceived this  with  expressions  of  friendship,  and  was  preparing 
to  present  the  donor  with  some  trinkets  in  return,  when  the 
latter,  having  paddled  off  to  a  little  distance,  threw  into  the  air 
a  branch  of  a  cocoanut  tree.    At  this  signal  a  universal  shout 

0 


'nl 


^^1 


Hi 


v 


158 


CIRCUMNAVIOATIONS   OF 


Uv  '' 


burst  from  the  islanders  ;  all  their  canoes  at  once  moved  to- 
wards the  man-of-war ;  and  a  shower  of  stones  was  poured 
into  her  from  all  directions.     The  watch  were  instantly  ordered 
to  tire,  and  two  of  the  quarter-deck  swivels  loaded  with  small 
shot  were  discharged  nearly  at  the  same  time.     The  natives 
appeared  to  be  thrown  into  confusion,  but  in  a  few  minutes 
renewed  the  attack.     At  this  time  there  were  about  300  of 
their  vessels  round  the  ship,  with  at  least  2000  men  on  board  ; 
many  thousands  were  observed  crowding  the  shore ;  and  oth- 
ers were  paddling  towards  the  Dolphin  in  the  greatest  haste 
from  all  sides.     The  crew  having  now  got  to  their  quarters,  a 
fire  was  opened  from  the  great  guns,  which  soon  put  to  flight 
those  near  the  ship,  and  also  checked  the  embarcation  of  more 
warriors  from  the  land.     The  savages,  however,  were  not  dis- 
pirited ;  the  firing  having  ceased,  the  canoes  soon  gathered  to- 
gether and  lay  for  some  time  looking  at  their  antagonist  from 
the  distance  of  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile.     Suddenly  they 
were  observed  to  hoist  white  streamers ;  they  then  paddled 
towards  the  stem,  and  began  a  discharge  of  stones,  eacn  about 
two  pounds  in  weight,  and  slung  with  such  force  and  an  aim 
so  true  that  many  of  the  seamen  were  wounded.     Several  ca- 
noes, at  the  same  time,  were  making  towards  the  bow,  and 
among  these  was  one  which  appeared  to  have  a  chief  on  board. 
Two  cannon  were  now  run  out  abaft  and  pointed  at  the  assail- 
ants in  that  quarter,  while  others  were  run  forward  and  fired 
from  the  stem.     A  shot  from  one  of  these  struck  the  vessel 
which  contained  the   supposed  leader,  and  cut  it  asunder ; 
which  was  no  sooner  perceived  than  the  others  dispersed  with 
such  haste  that  in  half  an  hour  there  was  not  a  single  canoo 
in  sight.     The  people  who  Uned  the  shore  were  observed  run- 
ning over  the  hills  in  great  precipitation,  and  no  further  token 
of  hostility  appearing,  the  EngUsh  proceeded  to  moor  the  ship 
and  to  sound  the  bay. 

About  noon  of  the  succeeding  day  it  was  ascertained  that  the 
beach  afforded  good  landing  in  every  part ;  no  canoes  were 
visible,  and  Lieutenant  Fumeaux  was  ordered  to  go  ashore. 
This  was  effected  without  opposition ;  and  having  crectdi^« 
pole,  on  which  he  hoisted  a  pendant,  and  turned  a  turf,  he 
tookpossession  of  the  country  by  the  name  of  King  George 
the  Third's  Island — a  title  which  has  been  superseded  by  the 
indigenous  appellation  of  Otaheite,  or,  as  it  is  now  sometimes 


BYRON,   WALLI8,   AND   CARTERET.         159 


written,  Tahiti.*  Two  old  men  were  discovered  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  a  river  which  flowed  into  the  bay,  and  signs 
having  been  made  that  they  should  come  over,  one  of  them 
complied  and  advanced  towards  the  lieutenant  on  his  hands 
and  knees.  He  was  presented  with  some  trinkets,  and  as 
soon  as  the  boats  put  off  he  began  to  caper  round  the  flag.,  c'  nd 
threw  down  some  green  boughs  before  it.     He  was  afterward 

1'oined  by  ten  or  twelve  others,  who  brought  with  them  two 
arge  hogs,  which  they  deposited  at  the  foot  of  the  pole,  and, 
after  a  pause,  began  to  dance.  The  quadrupeds  were  then 
put  on  board  a  canoe,  into  which  the  old  man  accompanied 
them ;  and,  coming  dongside  of  the  ship,  he  made  a  formal 
oration  and  presented  son^e  plantain-leaves,  one  by  one,  each 
accompanied  by  a  few  words  slowly  and  solemnly  tipoKen. 
He  concluded  by  offering  the  two  hogs,  for  which  he  wouVJl 
accept  nothing  in  return,  but  eagerly  pointed  to  the  land. 

During  the  night,  innumerable  lights  were  seen  along  the 
coast,  and  the  sound  of  dnims,  conchs,  and  other  instruments 
was  heard ;  and,  when  the  morning  of  the  26th  broke,  the 
pendant  was  found  to  have  been  carried  away.  The  Ueuten- 
ant  again  landed,  and  while  he  was  engaged  in  flUing  the 
water-casks,  the  old  man  appeared  with  some  fruits  and  a  few 
fowls.  At  this  time  Captain  Wallis,  who  was  confined  to  the 
ship  by  ill  health,  observed  through  his  glass  a  multitude  of  the 
savages  coming  over  a  hill  at  about  the  distance  of  a  mile ;  a 
great  number  of  canoes  were  seen  making  towards  the  water- 
ing-place from  behind  the  two  points  of  the  bay ;  many  thou- 
sands of  the  natives  were  perceived  advancing  through  the 
woods  in  the  same  direction  ;  and  a  large  party  was  discov- 
ered creeping  behind  the  bushes  close  to  the  waterers.  A 
boat  was  instantly  despatched  to  warn  them  of  their  dar.jrpi ; 
but  before  it  reached  the  shore  they  had  seen  the  islitiders 


4^ 


t 


(i^ 


.n 


*  The  latter  spelling  is  said  by  Mr.  ElUs  lo  app?.  wiuiste  more  nearly 
to  the  native  pronunciation ;  but,  (Vom  a  f'^tlitis;  (which  we  share  with 
Captain  Beeehey  and  others)  of  '^  ynneratift.  for  line  name  as  it  is  written 
inthe  celebrated  Voyages  of  (.!ook,"  we  shall  adhere  to  his  orthography. 
The  name  Tahiti  is,  besides,  in  itself  objectionable.  "  By  the  natives," 
says  Mr.  Ellis,  "  their  island  is  called  Ta-hi-ti.  The  t  having  the  sound 
of  e  in  their  language,  it  is  pronounced  as  if  written  in  English  Ta-he- 
te.** — Vol.  i.,  p.  7.  If  Otaluite  is  to  be  set  aside,  because  not  consonant 
with  the  native  pronunciation,  why  should  Tahiti  be  retained  when  lia- 
ble to  the  same  objection  1  Even  on  Mr.  Ellis's  own  showing  and  prin- 
oiples^  Tahiti  should  in  turn  give  way  to  Tahete. 


f 


t 


160 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   OP 


1 


•f/ 


^\: 


u 


lurking  in  the  thicket  and  had  embarked.  The  bay  now  ex- 
hibited a  spectacle  of  singular  interest.  The  canoes  from  both 
sides  advanced  rapidly  towards  the  same  point,  and,  as  they 
came  near,  stopped  to  take  on  board  more  warriors  and  great 
Oags  of  stones.  The  margin  of  the  beach  was  thronged  with 
people  all  hastening  to  the  river,  and  a  hill  which  looked  down 
on  the  harbour  was  crowded  with  women  and  children,  who 
had  seated  themselves  to  view  the  approaching  conflict. 

At  length  the  preparations  of  the  native  armament  were 
completed,  and  the  whole  flotilla  made  towards  the  Dolphin, 
which  immediately  opened  a  destructive  fire.  The  rude  ar- 
mada was  almost  instantly  dispersed ;  the  canoes  on  the  east 
side  of  the  bay  paddled  round  the  point,  and  were  soon  be- 
yond the  reach  of  shot  ;  while  those  on  the  west  side  were 
run  on  shore,  and  deserted  by  their  crews.  The  fire  was  now 
directed  into  different  parts  of  the  wood,  and  the  savages, 
driven  from  this  shelter,  ran  up  the  eminence  on  which  the 
women  and  children  had  taken  their  position.  This  hill  was 
thronged  with  several  thousand  people,  who  considered  them- 
selves beyond  the  reach  of  danger,  when,  to  impress  on  them 
-he  tremendous  power  of  his  artillery,  Wallis  ordered  some  of 
the  guns  to  be  fired  at  this  vast  multitude.  Two  of  the  balls 
truck  the  ground  near  a  tree  where  a  great  number  were  sit- 
ting in  fancied  security,  and  created  such  a  consternation 
**  that  in  less  than  two  minutes  not  one  of  them  was  to  be 
teen."  To  complete  his  victory,  he  sent  the  carpenters  to  de- 
stroy all  the  canoes  which  had  been  run  aground.  More  than 
fifty,  some  of  them  sixty  feet  in  length,  were  demoUshed  in  a 
few  hours. 

These  severe  measures  at  length  produced  the  desired  ef- 
fect ;  the  islanders  were  now  completely  dispirited,  and  sub- 
mitted to  keep  peace  witlf  those  strangers,  whose  terrible  su- 
periority made  war  hopeless.  A  few  hours  after  the  battle, 
about  ten  of  them  issued  from  the  wood  bearing  green 
Doughs,  which  they  stuck  up  on  the  shore,  and  deposited  be- 
ede  them  some  hogs,  dogs,  and  bundles  of  qloth.  This 
jaeace-ofFering  was  accepted,  and  returned  by  a  prenent  of 
hatchets,  nails,  and  some  other  articles;  and  from  this  time 
a  friendly  feeling  was  displayed  in  all  their  transactions. 

The  next  day,  the  37th  June,  the  sick  were  landed,  and  a 
tent  erected  for  their  residence.  A  traffic  was  commenced 
for  provisions,  and  continued  to  be  carried  on  amicably,  chief- 


BYRON,   WALLIS,    AND   CARTERET.         161 


mation 
to  be 
tode- 
than 

ed  in  a 


le  su- 

battle, 

^een 

d  be- 

This 
mt  of 

time 


ly  through  the  medium  of  the  old  man  on  behalf  of  the  island* 
ers,  and  the  gunner  on  the  part  of  the  English.  Iron  was  the 
object  which  the  natives  prized  most  highly,  and  for  a  small 
portion  of  it  they  willingly  parted  with  every  thing  they  had. 
"  To  discover  what  present  would  roost  gratify  them,"  says 
Wallis,  ''  I  laid  down  before  them  a  Johannes,  a  guinea,  a 
crown-piece,  a  Spanish  dollar,  a  few  shillings,  some  new  half- 
pence, and  two  large  nails,  making  signs  that  they  should 
take  what  they  liked  best.  The  nails  were  first  seized  with 
great  eagerness,  and  then  a  few  of  the  halfpence,  but  the  sil- 
ver and  gold  lay  neglected."*  No  event  of  importance  oc- 
curred until  the  11th  July,  when  the  gunner  conducted  on 
board  a  tall  woman,  apparently  about  forty-five  years  of  age, 
and,  says  the  captain,  '*  of  a  pleasing  countenance  and  majes- 
tic deportment."  She  displayed  a  freedom  and  ease  of  car- 
riage which  appeared  to  have  been  formed  by  habitual  com- 
mand; while  she  accepted  the  presents  which  were  given 
her  with  a  very  good  grace.  Understanding  that  the  com- 
mander had  been  ill,  she  made  signs  inviting  him  to  land. 
The  gunner  conducted  her  ashore,  and,  on  his  return,  reported 
that  her  house  was  spacious,  and  furnished  with  many  do- 
mestics and  guards,  and  that  another  mansion  which  she  pos- 
sessed ''  was  enclosed  in  latMcework." 

The  next  morning  Wallis  landed  for  the  first  time,  and 
"  my  princess,  or  rather  queen,"  says  he,  "  for  such  by  her 
authority  she  appeared  to  be,  soon  after  came  to  me."  She 
ordered  her  attendants  to  take  him,  and  two  of  the  officers 
who  had  been  sick,  in  their  arms  and  carry  them  to  her 
house  ;  and  when  they  approached  it  they  were  met  by  num- 
bers of  both  sexes,  whom  she  presented  to  the  captain  as  her 
relations,  and  taking  hold  oi  his  hand  she  made  them  kiss  it.f 
They  were  then  ushered  into  the  dwelling,  which  was  large 
and  commodious,  and  on  the  invalids  being  seated  their  arms 
and  legs  were  gently  chafed  by  young  girls.  During  this 
operation,  the  surgeon,  heated  by  lus  walk,  took  off  his  wig  to 

♦  Hawkes worth's  Coll.,  vol.  1.,  p.  240. 

t  An  engraving  of  this  scene  inserted  in  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  i., 
p.  242,  is  entitled  "  A  Representation  or  the  Surrender  of  the  Island  or 
Otaheiie  to  Captain  Wallis,  by  the  sapposed  queen,  Oberea."— Descrip- 
tion of  the  Cuts,  p.  xxxvi.  It  seems  difficult  to  account  Tor  the  origin  of 
'ilia  strange  title;  there  is  certainly  nothing  even  hinted  at  in  the  text  of 
auch  a  "  surrender,"  nor  had  this  imaginary  queen  the  power  of  giving 
"■way  what  was  not  her  own.  , ,, 

02 


'   t 


w 


\'l 


!-■, 


-if* 


^i\ 


162 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS    OP 


,^: 


i 


cool  himself;  "a  sudden  exclainalion  of  one  of  the  Indiani 
Mrho  saw  it  drew  the  attention  of  the  root,  and  in  a  moment 
every  eye  was  fixed  upon  the  prodigy,  and  every  operation  was 
suspended ;  the  whole  assembly  stood  some  time  motionless 
in  silent  astonishment,  which  could  not  have  been  more  strong- 
ly expressed  if  they  had  discovered  that  our  friend's  limbs 
had  been  screwed  on  to  the  trunk."*  When  the  chafing  was 
finished,  their  hospitable  enti  rtainer  ordered  bales  of  cloth  to 
be  brought,  with  which  she  dressed  them  after  the  native 
fashion.  On  their  departure  she  accompanied  them  to  the 
boats  ;  and  Wallis  having  declined  the  honour  of  being  again 
carried,  the  supposed  queen,  says  he,  '•  took  me  by  the  arm, 
and  whenever  we  came  to  a  plash  of  water  or  dirt,  she  lifted 
me  over  with  as  little  trouble  as  it  would  have  cost  me  to 
have  lifted  over  a  child."  The  next  morning  a  present  was 
s6nt  to  her  of  some  hatchets,  bill-hooks,  and  other  things,  and 
the  gunner  who  conveyed  them  found  her  conducting  an  en- 
tertainment given  to  about  1000  people.  She  distributed  the 
viands  to  her  guests  with  her  own  hands,  and,  when  this  was 
done,  seated  herself  on  a  place  elevated  above  the  rest,  and 
was  fed  by  two  female  servants. 

On  the  14th,  the  same  officer  observed  an  old  woman  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  weeping  bitterly.  A  young 
man  who  stood  by  her  crossed,  and,  coming  to  the  English- 
man, made  a  long  speech,  and  laid  a  plantain-bough  at  his 
feet.  He  then  repassed  the  stream  to  bring  over  nis  aged 
friend  and  two  hrpo  hog«  '*  The  woman,"  says  the  captain, 
"  looked  round  upon  our  people  with  great  attention,  fixing  her 
eyes  sometimes  upon  one,  and  sometimes  upon  another,  and  at 
last  burst  into  tears.  The  young  man  who  brought  her  over 
tlie  river,  perceiving  the  gunner's  concern  and  astonishment, 
made  another  speech  longer  than  the  first.  Still,  however, 
the  woman's  distress  was  a  mystery  ;  but  at  length  she  made 
him  understand  that  her  husband  and  three  of  her  sons  had 
been  killed  in  the  attack  on  the  ship.  During  this  explana- 
tion she  was  so  atfected  that  at  last  she  sunk  down  unable  to 
speak,  and  the  two  young  men,  who  endeavoured  to  support 
her,  appeared  to  be  nearly  in  the  same  condition ;  they  were 
jKobably  two  more  of  her  sons,  or  some  very  near  relations. 
The  gunner  did  all  in  his  power  to  sooth  and  comfort  her ; 


4| 


a 

P 

a 

ti 
ti 
a 

tl 

0 

a 

V 

e 

t 

8 

I 
I 
C 

i 
I 


*  Hawkesworth'8  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  343. 


t 


BYRONy   WALLIS.  AND   CARTERET. 


163 


and  when  she  had  in  some  measure  recovered  her  recollec- 
tion, she  ordered  the  two  hogs  to  bo  delivered  to  him,  and  gavo 
him  her  hand  in  token  of  friendship,  but  would  accept  notning 
in  return,  though  he  offered  her  ten  times  as  much  as  would 
have  purchased  the  hogs  at  market."* 

On  the  2l8t  July  the  queen  again  came  on  hoard,  and 
brought  several  hogs  as  a  present,  for  which,  as  usual,  sho 
would  accept  no  recompense.  On  her  departure  the  cuptain 
accompanied  her  on  shore,  where  he  was  very  kindly  treated, 
and  remained  during  the  day.  As  he  was  parting^  in  the  even- 
ing, he  intimated  that  he  would  leave  the  island  in  seven 
days,  which  she  instantly  comprehended,  and  expressed  a  de- 
sire that  ho  would  extend  them  to  twenty.  ♦*  I  again,"  says 
the  commander,  ''  made  signs  that  I  must  go  in  seven  days, 
upon  which  she  burst  into  tears,  and  it  was  not  without  great 
difficulty  that  she  was  pacified." 

On  the  morning  of  the  25th,  a  party,  consisting  of  forty 
seamen  and  all  the  marines,  was  sent  out  to  explore  the  inte- 
rior of  the  island.  The  instructions  given  to  them  would  al- 
most lead  us  to  think  that  the  expedition  had  been  fitted  out 
with  the  expectation  of  discovering  regions  abounding  in  gold 
and  silver.  They  were  directed  to  "examine  the  soil  and 
produce  of  the  country,  noting  the  trees  and  plants  which  they 
should  find,  and  when  they  saw  any  stream  from  the  moun- 
tains, to  trace  it  to  its  source,  and  observe  whether  it  was 
tinctured  w.'h  any  mineral  or  ore."  While  they  were  absent 
an  eclipse  of  the  sun  was  observed,  and  the  queen  was  shown 
the  powers  of  the  telescope,  which  excited  in  her  "  a  mixture 
of  wonder  and  delight  which  no  language  can  describe." 
With  a  view  to  the  security  of  the  party,  Wallis  invited  her 
and  several  of  the  chiefs  on  board,  to  partake  of  a  dinner  which 
was  prepared  for  the  occasion ;  but  her  majesty  would  neither 
eat  nor  drink.  In  the  evening  the  men  returned,  and  reported 
that  they  had  "  proceeded  up  the  valley  as  far  as  th(!y  could, 
searching  all  the  runs  of  water,  and  all  the  places  where  water 
had  run,  for  appearances  of  metal  or  ore,"  but  had  found  none. 
Shortly  after,  the  great  lady  and  her  attendants  departed,  and 
on  leaving,  asked  ner  host  if  he  still  persisted  in  quitting  the 
island  at  the  time  he  had  fixed;  "and  when,"  says  he,  "I 
made  her  understand  that  it  was  impossible  I  should  stay 

^  *^  HawkMworth's  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  344, 345 


164 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   OP 


longer,  she  expressed  her  regret  by  a  flootl  of  tears,  which  for 
a  while  took  away  her  speech."* 

The  next  day,  the  ship  being  completely  supplied  with 
wood  and  water,  preparations  were  made  for  sailing.  The 
island  princess  came  on  board  with  presents,  and  renewed  her 
solicitations  that  Wallis  would  remain  ten  days  longer,  and 
on  receiving  a  negative,  burst  as  usual  into  tears.  iShc  ihen 
inquired  when  he  would  return,  and  on  his  intimating  in  fifty 
days,  she  tried  to  reduce  the  period  to  thirty.  She  remained 
i  the  Dolphin  till  night,  and  when  told  that  the  boat  was 
ready  to  conduct  her  on  shore,  she  throw  herself  down  on  the 
arm-cltest,  and  wept  very  passionately ;  and  it  was  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  that  she  was  prevailed  on  to  quit  the  vessel. 
The  next  morning,  that  of  the  27th  July,  she  again  came  to 
see  her  friends,  "  but  not  being  able  to  speak,  slie  sat'  down 
and  gave  vent  to  her  passion  by  weeping ;"  and  it  was  not 
until  they  wore  under  sail  that  she  took  her  departure,  "  em- 
bracitig  us  all,"  s.ys  the  narrator,  '* in  the  most  affectionate 
manner,  and  witli  many  tears.''  Soon  after,  the  ship  was  be- 
calmed, when  the  queen  again  came  off  in  her  canoe,  in  the 
bow  of  which  "  she  sat  weeping  with  inconsolable  sorrow.'* 
The  captain  gave  her  various  articles  which  he  thought  would 
be  of  use  to  her,  and  others  that  were  merely  ornamental ; 
and,  as  he  remarks,  "  she  silently  accepted  of  all,  but  took  lit- 
tle notice  (>f  any  thing."  About  ten  o'clock,  a  fresh  breeze 
springing  up,  the  ship  cleared  the  reef,  when  the  natives,  and 
particularly  the  queen,  once  more  bade  them  farewell,  "  with 
such  tenderness  of  affection  and  grief,"  says  the  navigator, 
*'  as  filled  both  my  heart  and  my  eyes."!     To  the  harbour  in 

*  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  I.,  p.  251. 

t  Idem,  vol.  i.,  p.  259.  Tlie  account  or  his  interview  with  tliis 
lady  has  exposed  Waliis  to*^a  good  deal  of  ridicule.  Mr.  Barrow 
(Eventnil  History  of  the  Mutiny  of  the  Bounty,  London,  1631,  p.  16) 
remarlts— "  The  tender  passion  had  certainly  caught  hold  of  one  or  bolti 
or  these  worthies,  and  if  her  maJ^Bty's  language  had  been  as  well  under- 
stood by  Captain  Wallis  as  that  of  Dido  was  to  iGneas,  when  pressing 
him  to  stay  with  her^  there  is  no  doubt  it  would  have  been  found  not  lesa 
pathetic— 

*  Nee  te  noster  amor  nee  te  data  dextera  quondam 
Nee  moritura  tenet  crudeli  ftinere  Dido  V  " 

*'  Nor  could  my  kindness  your  compassion  move, 
Nor  plighted  vows,  nor  dearer  bands  of  love  7 
Or  is  the  death  of  a  despair'ng  queen 
Not  worth  preventing,  though  too  well  foreseen  ?"— 

Drydin. 


■ 


<i 


BYRON,   WALLIS,   AND   CARTERET.  165 


"  ^ 


which  he  had  moored  ho  gave  the  name  of  Port  Royal ;  but 
it  is  better  known  by  the  native  designation  of  Matavai  Bay. 

He  now  sailed  along  the  shores  of  the  neighbouring  Island 
of  Eimeo,  which  ho  named  after  the  Duke  uf  York,  and  on 
the  next  morning  discovered  the  one  which  he  dedicated  tu 
Sir  Charles  Saunders,  though  the  native  appellation  seems  to 
be  Tabuaemanu.*  Another,  about  ten  miles  lung  and  four 
broad,  called  after  Lord  Howe,  was  the  next  discovery  ;  whilo 
a  dangerous  group  of  shoals  was  denomitiated  the  Scilly. 
The  ship's  course  was  continued  westward  until  she  made 
the  Traitors  and  Cocos  Islands  of  Schouten  and  Lo  Mairo, 
which  the  captain  designated  Kepple  and  Boscawen. 

The  crazy  state  of  the  Dolphin  now  determined  him  to  re- 
turn to  Europe  by  the  west,  instead  of  braving  again  tho 
stormy  climate  of  Cape  Horn  or  the  Straits.  He  accordingly 
shaped  his  course  for  the  Ladrones,  and  arrived  at  Tinian  on 
the  19th  of  September,  having  discovered  on  the  way  two 
small  islands  enclosed  within  a  coral  reef,  which  his  officers, 
in  honour  of  him,  called  Wallis.f  At  Tinian  he  remained 
about  a  month,  when  he  set  sail  for  Batavia ;  in  his  passage 
to  which  he  encountered  many  tempestuous  gales.  *'  Whde 
one  of  these  blasts  was  blowing  with  all  its  violence,  and  the 
darkness  was  so  thick  that  we  could  not  see  from  one  part  of 
the  ship  to  the  other,  we  suddenly  discovered  by  a  tiash  of 
lightning  a  large  vessel  close  aboard  of  us.  The  steersman 
instantly  put  the  helm  a-lee,  and  tho  ship  answering  her  rud- 


this 
trrow 

16) 
bold 
ider- 
Ming 

less 


Dalrymple  has  characterized  Captain  Wallis  as  "him  who  left  the 
arms  of  a  Calypso  to  amuse  the  European  world  with  stories  orenchant- 
inents  in  the  New  Cythnrea,  mistaking  the  example  of  Ulysses,  who 
never  wished  to  return  home  till  he  had  achicvei!  .liat  Tor  which  he  went 
abroad."  But  it  should  be  kept  in  view  that  the  narrative,  thou){h  it  runs 
in  Wallis's  name,  was  in  reality  the  composition  or  another;  and  that 
the  blunt  and  unsuspecting  seaman  may  not  have  been  very  likely 
to  dUcover  the  ridiculous  colouring  which  the  account  was  made  to  as- 
Bume. 

«  This  Is  the  name  by  which  Mr.  Ellis  usually  calls  Sir  Charles 
Baunders's  Island  ;  but  he  also  uses  that  of  '*  Maiaoiti."— Vol.  i.,  p.  8. 

t  This  discovery  is  spoken  or  in  the  text  as  consisting  of  only  one  isN 
and,  while  the  accompanying  chart  shows  two.  It  were  certainly  to  be 
wished  that  there  had  been  no  discrepance  ;  but  we  have  the  authority 
of  Hawkesworth  fbr  following  the  latter.  "  Great  care,"  says  he,  "  has 
been  taken  to  make  the  charts  and  the  nautical  part  of  the  narrf.tive  co< 
incide ;  if  there  should  be  any  difference,  wliich  it  is  hoped  will  not  be 
the  case,  the  charts  are  to  be  confided  in  as  of  unquestionable  authority** 
'-General  Introd.,  p.  vlli. 


166 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS   OP 


*    , 


der,  we  just  cleared  each  other.  This  was  the  first  ship  we 
had  seen  since  we  parted  with  the  Swallow." 

The  remainder  of  this  voyage  was  marked  hy  no  incident 
of  any  interest.  The  Dolphin  anchored  in  the  Downs  on  the 
20th  of  May,  1768,  just  637  days  from  the  time  she  had  spread 
her  sails  in  Plymouth  Sound. 

The  separation  of  Wallis  and  Carteret  at  the  western 
mouth  of  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  however  much  regretted  by 
the  commanders  at  the  time,  cannot  ik>w  be  regarded  as  other- 
wise than  fortunate.  Had  the  vessels  kept  company,  the 
knowledge  of  Otaheite  and  of  a  few  small  islands  would,  in  all 
probability,  have  been  the  only  acquisition ;  but  while  the  one 
was  ex])loring  its  coasts,  the  other,  by  pursuing  a  track  more 
to  the  southward,  made  discoveries  of  equal  importance,  and 
brought  back  to  Europe  tidings  of  the  long-lost  lands  of  Qui- 
res and  Mendana,  as  well  as  of  a  strait  between  New  Britain 
and  New  Ireland. 

As  was  formerly  noticed,  it  was  on  the  11th  April,  1767, 
when  the  vessels  had  just  come  in  sight  of  the  South  Sea, 
that  the  Dolphin  caught  a  favourable  breeze,  before  which  she 
stood  away  and  soon  cleared  Cape  Pilares,  leaving  the  Swal- 
low in  the  narrows,  where  she  remained  four  days.  Captain 
Carteret  ascribes  much  of  his  detention  to  the  crazy  state  of 
his  ship  and  the  want  of  proper  supplies — a  subject  to  which 
he  frequently  recurs  during  his  voyage. 

On  leaving  the  Straits,  he  stood  to  the  north  for  the  Island 
of  Mas-afuera,  where  he  stopped  some  time  to  procure  a  sup- 
ply of  water.  He  then  sailed  to  the  westward,  and  searched, 
though  in  vain,  for  the  Islands  of  San  Felix,  and  for  Davis's 
Land  or  Easter  Island.  His  first  discovery  was  that  of  a  spot, 
the  romantic  history  of  which  has  attracted  in  later  times  so 
much  attention.  On  the  2d  of  July  he  descried  land,  which 
on  a  nearer  approach  appeared  "  like  a  great  rock  rising  out 
of  the  sea :"  its  circumference  is  described  as  not  exceeding 
five*  miles  ;  and  it  is  added,  that  it  was  covered  with  trees, 
but  without  any  appearance  of  inhabitants.  The  surf,  which 
broke  with  great  violence  on  eveir  side  of  it,  forbade  landing, 
and,  in  honour  of  the  young  gentleman  to  whose  eye  it  first 
appeared,  it  was  called  Pitcaim's  Island.  It  was  a  perusal  of 
Carteret's  description  of  this  spot  that  led  Christian  and  the 

*  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  34L    By  the  accompanying  chart 
the  circumference  appears  to  be  about  nine  miles. 


IP      »; 

I  the  first  ship  we 

id  1y^  no  incident 
the  Downs  on  the 
ne  she  had  spread 

t  at  the  western 
nuch  regretted  by 
regarded  as  other- 
pt  company,  the 
lands  would,  in  all 
but  while  the  one 
ling  a  track  more 

II  importance,  and 
lost  lands  of  Qui- 
veen  New  Britain 

Ith  April,  1767, 
f  the  South  Sea, 
,  before  which  she 
leaving  the  Swal- 
r  days.  Captain 
the  crazy  state  of 
subject  to  which 

rth  for  the  Island 

to  procure  a  sup- 

ird,  and  searched, 

and  for  Davis's 

vas  that  of  a  spot, 

in  later  times  so 

ried  land,  which 

rock  rising  out 

IS  not  exceeding 

rered  with  trees. 

The  surf,  which 

forbade  landing, 

lose  eye  it  first 

was  a  perusal  of 

iristian  and  the 

:coinpanying  chart 


BYRON,  WALLIS,   AND  CARTERET.         167 

mutineers  of  the  Bounty  to  seek  in  it  a  retreat  from  the  ven- 
geance due  to  their  guilt.*  It  was  well  adapted  for  their 
purpose  ;  approach  was  difficult ;  it  seemed  to  be  uninhabited,, 
afforded  fresh  water,  and  the  trees  with  which  it  was  covered 
showed  it  to  be  fertile.  They  found  in  it,  indeed,  every  thing 
which  they  desired  from  external  nature,  and  had  no  hinder- 
ance  to  their  hopes  of  happiness  but  in  their  own  evil  pas- 
sions, which  in  a  short  time  brought  down  upon  them  punish- 
ments as  deadly  as  those  they  sought  to  fly  from,  and  stained 
this  fair  isle  with  crimes  as  dark  as  ever  tragedy  recorded. 
Pr'tcairn's  Island  has  been  supposed  to  be  the  La  Encaxnacion 
of  Qairos  ;  but  the  description  which  that  navigator  gives — 
"  low  and  flat,  with  a  sandy  surface,  here  and  there  diversified 
by  a  few  trees"t — is  quite  inconsistent  with  the  hilly  land, 
the  summits  of  which  Beechey  found  to  be  1109  feet  above 
the  sea.  Captain  Cook's  conjecture,  that  it  is  identical  with 
Quiros's  second  discovery — the  Island  of  San  Juan  Bautista 
— seems  also  untenable.  This  last  is  described  as  "  plain  and 
even  a-top,"  and  as  containing  about  twelve  leagues  ;  circum- 
stances which  are  by  no  means  applicable  to  the  other.t  Mr. 
Barrow  remarks,  that "  we  must  look  for  La  Encarnacion  some- 
where else ;  and  Ducies  Island,  in  that  vicinity,  very  low,  and 
within  5°  of  longitude  from  Pitcairn's  Island,  answers  pre- 
cisely to  it."^ 

About  six  days  after  his  departure  hence,  Carteret  discov- 
ered southward  of  his  track  a  small,  low,  flat  island,  almost 
level  with  the  water's  edge,  and  covered  with  green  trees. 
He  bestowed  on  it  the  name  of  the  Bishop  of  Osnaburg,  and, 
according  to  his  calculation,  its  latitude  was  22°  south,  its 
longitude  141°  34'  west.  Captain  Beechey  searched  in  this 
neighbourhood  two  days,  but  was  unable  to  find  it ;  and  he 
therefore  imagines  it  to  be  identical  with  one  on  which  he  dis- 
covered the  marks  of  a  shipwreck,  supposed  to  be  that  of  the 
Matilda  whaler,  lost  near  this  in  1792.  This  he  proposes 
ehould  be  called  Osnaburg  and  Matilda  Island.     We  are  re- 

*  Beechey,  vol.  i.,  p.  80.  t  Sec  above,  p.  80. 

X  A  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pcle  and  round  the  World,  1772-1T75, 
vol.  i.,  General  Introduction,  p.  xii.  Captain  Cook  has  been  led  into  an 
error  fVom  a  misinterpretation  of  the  Spaulch  text,  the  meaning  of  which 
seems  certainly  rather  ambiguous.  But,  however  it  may  be  construed, 
the  "  level  top,"  on  which  all  are  agreed,  makes  it  inapplicable  to  Fit- 
cairn's  Island. 

$  Eventflil  History  of  the  Mutiny  of  the  Bounty,  p.  888,  nota 


I 


",  ft 


168 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  OF 


W 


..d. 


luctant  to  dissent  from  so  able  a  navigator  as  the  gallant  cap- 
tain ;  but  his  theory  appears  irreconcilable  \«rith  the  facts. 
Carteret  speaks  of  Osnaburg  Island,  as  '*  small,  low,  and  flat, 
and  covered  with  green  trees  ;"*  and,  as  Captain  Beechfey 
himself  remarks,  the  crew  of  the  Matilda  "  describe  themselves 
to  have  been  lost  on  a  reef  of  rocks ;  whereas  the  island  on 
which  these  anchors  are  lying  extends /our/£€nmt/£«  in  length, 
and  has  one  of  its  sides  covered  nearly  the  whole  of  the  way 
with  high  trees,  which,  from  the  spot  where  the  vessel  wa» 
wrecked,  are  very  conspicuous,  and  could  not  fail  to  be  seen 
by  persons  in  the  situation  of  her  crew."t  In  attempting  to 
remove  this  striking  discrepance  by  the  hypothesis  "  that  a 
considerable  alteration  has  taken  place  in  the  island,"  he  must 
Rave  forgotten,  that  if  this  be  Osnaburg,  it  was  "  small"  and 
covered  with  trees  in  1767,  the  date  of  its  discovery.  How 
improbable  is  it  that  it  should  have  been  wooded  then,  have 
become  a  bare  reef  of  rocks  in  1792,  and  again  bear  trees, 
and  extend  **  fourteen  miles  in  length,"  in  1826  ! 

The  next  day  Carteret  saw  two  small  islands,  which  he 
called  after  the  Duke  of  Gloucester ;  they  were  replenished 
with  wood,  but  apparently  uninhabited,  and  the  long  billows 
rolling  from  the  southward  convinced  him  that  there  existed 
no  continent  in  that  direction.  He  continued  his  course  to 
the  westward,  until  he  had  sailed,  according  to  his  reckoning, 
1800  leagues  from  the  shores  of  America ;  when,  finding  his 
endeavours  to  keep  in  a  high  southern  latitude  ineffectual,  and 
his  crew  in  a  sickly  condition,  he  determined  to  approach  the 
equator,  to  get  into  the  trade-wind.  His  object  was  to  reach 
some  island  where  he  might  prdbure  refreshment ;  after  which 
he  hoped  to  be  able  to  resume  his  voyage  towards  the  south. 

On  the  26th  of  July  lie  was  in  latitude  10°  south,  and  lon- 
gitude 167°  west,  where  he  expected  to  fall  in  with  the  Isl- 
ands of  Solomon,  and  for  that  purpose  kept  in  the  same  par- 
allel until  the  3d  of  August,  when,  having  attained  the  latitude 
of  10°  18'  south,  and  longitude  of  177^°  east,  "  five  degrees 
to  the  westward  of  the  situation  of  these  islands  in  the  charts," 
he  came  to  the  conclusion,  "  that  if  there  are  any  such  islands 
their  situation  is  erroneously  laid  down."  Had  the  construc- 
tors of  these  maps  examined  the  original  authorities,  they 
would  have  scarcely  ventured  to  assign  any  certain  position 


. 


*  Hawkeswortb'B  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  342.       t  Beech«y,  vol.  i.,  p.  217. 


BYRON,    WALLI8,  AND   CARTERET.        169 


to  these  islands.  The  latitude  in  which  the  ancient  writers 
place  them  varies  from  7°  to  19°  south,  and  the  longitude 
from  2400  miles  to  7500  miles  west  of  Peru ;  and  so  imper- 
fectly was  their  situation  ascertained,  that  even  their  discoverer 
was  baffled  in  an  attempt  to  revisit  their  shores.* 

At  daybreak  on  the  12th  of  August  land  was  seen  ;  and  so 
distressed  were  the  crew  that,  says  the  captain,  "  the  sudden 
transport  of  hope  and  joy  which  this  inspired  can,  perhaps, 
he  equalled  only  by  that  which  a  criminal  feels  who  hears 
the  cry  of  a  reprieve  at  the  place  of  execution."  It  proved 
to  be  a  cluster  of  islands,  of  which  seven  were  counted,  but 
there  was  reason  to  believe  that  there  were  many  more.  In 
the  evening  the  ship  anchored  off  the  largest,  and  the  na- 
tives were  discovered  to  be  black,  woolly  headed,  and  naked. 
The  next  morning  the  master  was  despatched  in  the  cutter 
to  explore  the  coast  for  a  watering-place;  and  the  long- 
boat was  sent  on  shore  in  the  afternoon  to  e  .  ieavour  to  es- 
tablish a  friendly  intercourse  with  the  inhabwdnts.  These, 
however,  either  disregarded  or  did  not  understand  the  amica- 
ble signs  made  to  them,  but  resolutely  advanced  within  bow- 
shot of  the  boats,  when  they  discharged  their  arrows,  and  in- 
stantly fled  into  the  woods.  No  harm  was  sustained  by  this 
attack,  which  was  returned  with  a  fire  of  musketry  equally 
unsuccessful.  Shortly  after,  the  cutter  came  alongside,  with 
the  master  mortally  wounded  by  three  arrows,  which  were  still 
sticking  in  his  body,  and  three  of  the  seamen  in  the  same 
condition.  The  savages,  it  appeared,  had  at  first  received 
them  with  marks  of  friendship,  and  only  commenced  an  attack 
on  the  master  when  they  saw  him  wantonly  cutting  down  one 
of  their  cocoanut-trees.  The  next,  and  several  succeeding 
days,  were  spent  in  obtaining  a  small  supply  of  water ;  but 
such  was  the  determined  hostility  of  the  people,  that  the 
party  was  obliged  to  keep  within  shelter  of  the  guns. 
There  was  no  hope  of  obtaining  the  refreshments  required, 
and  on  the  17th,  therefore,  the  anchor  was  weighed,  and  :he 
vessel  proceeded  to  coast  the  northern  side  of  the  island.  It 
appeared  to  be  very  populous,  and  numerous  villages  were 
observed,  from  some  of  which  the  inhabitants  came  out  as 
the  ship  passed  by,  "  holding  something  in  their  hands,  which 
looked  like  a  wisp  of  green  grass,  with  which  they  seemed  to 


). 
I 


jv.  . 


.817. 


*  See  above,  p.  6d,70 ;  and  Dalrymple's  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  44-46. 

P 


\ 

t   i 

I 


170 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  OF 


stroke  each  other,  at  the  same  time  dancing  or  running  in  a 


»>« 


ring. 

On  arriving  at  the  west  end  of  the  island,  the  sickly  con- 
dition of  his  crew,  his  own  bad  health,  the  frail  state  of  his 
ship,  and  other  considerations,  determined  Carteret  immedi- 
ately to  stand  to  the  north,  abandoning  all  thoughts  of  south- 
ern discovery,  or  of  more  closely  examining  the  interesting 
group  which  he  had  reached.     To  the  whole  cluster  he  gave 
the  general  appellation  of  Queen  Charlotte,  and  distinguished 
seven  of  them  by  individual  titles.     The  largest  was  called 
Egmont  or  New  Guernsey — and,  says  he,  "  it  certainly  is  the 
same  to  which  the  Spaniards  have  given  the  name  of  Santa 
Cruz ;"  the  native  term  seems  to  be  Andany  or  Nitendy. 
)  One  which  exhibited  volcanic  appearances,  al^d  seems  to  have 
been  remarked  by  Mendana,t  was  designated  Vulcano.     The 
most  northerly  of  the  group  was  named  Swallow  or  Keppel.t 
Three  to  the  south  and  east  of  Egmont  were  called  respec- 
tively. Lord  Hqwe's  or  New  Jersey,  Lord  Edgecumbe's  or 
New  Sark,  and  Ourry  or  New  Alderney ;  and  the  name  of 
Trevanion  was  bestowed  on  a  small  one  at  the  northwest 
corner  of  Santa  Cruz.    The  two  Islands  of  Edgecumbe  and 
Ourry  modem  geographers  represent  as  only  one,  bearing  the 
appellation  of  Toboua.     It   has  been  proposed  by  French 
writers  to  withdraw  the  name  of  Queen  Charlotte,  as  applied 
to  this  cluster,  and  to  substitute  the  **  Archipelago  of  La  Pe- 
Touse,"  in  honour  of  that  unfortunate  navigator,  who  perished 
on  one  of  them,  as  we  shall  hereafter  have  occasion  to  nar- 
rate. 

On  leaving  this  group,  Carteret  held  a  west  northwest 
course,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  second  day  discovered  a 
small,  flat,  and  low  island,  which  he  called  Gower's.    The 

*  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  359. 

t  See  above,  p.  71.  The  identity  of  Qneen  Charlotte's  blands  with 
the  archipelago  of  Santa  Cruz,  discovered  by  Mendana  in  1595,  was  tri> 
umphaiitly  establiBhed  by  M.  le  Comte  de  Fleurieu  iii  a  work  entitled 
•>  U^couveries  desFransais  dans  le  sud-est  de  la  Nonvelle  Guinea.  Paris, 
1790,"  4to.  This  volume  is  distinguished  by  the  most  laborious  re- 
search, singular  acuieness,  and  critical  discrimination.  An  English 
translation  appeared  at  London  in  1791. 

t  In  the  chart,  this  island  is  called  Swallow— io  the  text,  KeppeU 
M.  Baibi  (Abr^g^  de  G^ographie,  Parts,  1833,  p.  1867)  conjectures  it  to 
be  identical  with  what  he  calls  "  le  groupe  de  Filoli ;"  but  as  he  mentions 
this  as  "  compost  de  huii  Hots,**  and  Carteret  describes  Sw^Jow  bland 
as  *'  a  long  flat  island,"  bis  theory  docs  not  seem  to  be  tenable. 


or 


BYRON,  WALLI8,  AND   CARTERET.         171 

inhabitants  resembled  those  of  Egmont ;  no  anchorage  was 
found,  and  during  the  night  the  current  drifted  his  ship  to  the 
southward,  and  brought  him  in  sight  of  two  other  islands. 
The  smaller  of  these  was  denominated  Simpson^s  ;  and  to  the 
other,  which  was  lofty  and  of  a  stately  appearance,  the  cap- 
tain gave  his  own  name,  which  he  seems  to  have  been  rather 
fond  of  linking  to  his  discoveries,  as  his  voyage  presents  us 
with  Carteret's  Island,  Carteret's  Point,  and  Carteret's  Har- 
bour. The  inhabitants  wore  quite  naked ;  their  arms  were 
bows  and  arrows,  and  spears  pointed  with  flint,  and,  says  the 
gallant  author,  "  by  some  signs  which  they  made,  pointing  to 
our  muskets,  we  imagined  they  were  not  wholly  unacquainted 
with  firearms."  Tni:s  knowledge  they  most  probably  re- 
ceived from  a  traditional  account  of  the  visit  of  Mendana, 
about  two  centuries  previous  ;  for  it  is  completely  established 
that  these  islands  are  part  of  the  archipelago  which  bears  the 
name  of  Solomon.  Gower's,  for  example,  is  identified  with 
the  Nombrc  de  Jesus  of  the  Spaniards,  and  with  the  Inat- 
tendue  of  the  French  navigator  Surville ;  and  Carteret's  is 
supposed  to  bo  the  Malaita  of  Mendana.* 

He  now  changed  his  course  to  the  northwest,  and  on  tho 
24th  discovered  nine  islands,  which  he  imagined  to  be  the 
Ontong  Java  of  Tasman— an  hypothesis  which  has  not  been 
adopted  by  all  modern  geographers,  some  of  whom  assign 
this  to  Carteret  as  an  original  discovery.  M.  d'Urville  con- 
siders a  group  lately  made  known  by  the  American  captain, 
Morrell,  and  named  by  him  the  Massacre,  to  be  identical 
with  Carteret's  Nine  Islands. t  On  that  same  night  another 
was  seen,  and  called  after  Sir  Charles  Hardy ;  it  was  of  con- 
siderable extent,  flat,  green,  and  of  a  pleasant  appearance,  and 
numerous  fires  which  blazed  uj:on  its  shores  showed  it  to  be 
well  peopled.  It  is  supposed  to  belong  to  the  Green  Islands 
visited  by  Schouten  and  Le  Maire.t  At  daybreak  of  tho 
25th  they  saw  one  to  the  southward,  large  and  high,  which 
was  named  Winchelsea's  or  Anson's,^  and  about  ten  o'clock 
next  morning  they  descried  another  to  the  northward,  which 

*  Seo  above,  p.  62,  63. 

t  Observations  sur  les  D^couvertes  da  Capitalne  AmMcaine,  J.  Morrel> 
Par  M.  J.  d'Urville.    Bulletin  de  la  Soci^t^  de  Gtographie,  tome  xix. 
No.  cxxi.,  p.  272. 

X  See  above,  p.  99,  and  Burney's  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  418. 

^  This  discovery  receives  the  name  of  Winchelsea  in  the  text  and  of 
Anson  in  tba  c|iart.    It  seems  to  be  the  Boaca  of  Bougainville. 


if 


\ 


*i 


172 


CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS    OF 


I 


I't 


i.t 


i( 


( I. 


M 


was  conjectured  to  be  the  St.  John^s  Island  of  Schoaten. 
Soon  after,  the  elevated  land  of  New  Britain  was  visible,  and 
light  winds  and  a  strong  current  bore  the  Swallow  next  day 
into  the  gulf  which  Dampier  had  named  St.  George's  Bay. 
Here  Carteret  anchored,  and  remained  several  days  for  the 
purposes  of  refreshment ;  during  which  time  he  visited  some 
small  islands  and  harbours,  and  took  possession  of  the  whole 
country,  ♦•  for  his  majesty  George  the  Third,  king  of  Great 
Britain." 

While  attempting  to  get  off  the  land,  in  order  to  double 
Cape  St.  Mary,  he  was  met  with  a  violent  gale  right  a-head, 
and  a  strong  current  at  the  same  time  set  the  ship  into  St. 
George's  Bay.  Finding  it  impossible  to  get  round  the  cape, 
he  determined  to  attempt  a  passage  through  the  inlet,  which, 
from  the  flow  of  the  sea,  he  was  induced  to  think  must  open 
to  the  westward.  He  accordingly  stood  in  that  direction,  and 
passing  a  large  island*  which  divided  the  channel,  found,  on 
the  morning  of  the  11th  September,  that  he  had  lost  sight  of 
New  Britain,  and  that  the  supposed  bay  was  indeed  a  strait. 
It  was  named  by  him  St.  George's  Channel,  while  the  land 
on  the  north,  which  had  been  hitherto  supposed  a  part  of 
Nova  Britannia,  was  forthwith  denominated  New  Ireland. 
Carteret  pursued  his  course  along  the  south  side  of  this  coun- 
try, and  on  the  same  night  discovered  an  island  larger  than  the 
former,  to  which  he  gave  the  appellation  of  Sandwich.  During 
his  stay  some  canoes,  manned  with  the  people  of  New  Ire- 
land, rowed  towards  the  ship.  These  were  black  and  woolly 
headed,  and  much  resembled  the  people  of  Queen  Charlotte's 
group.  Like  them,  they  were  naked,  except  a  few  shell  or- 
naments on  their  arms  and  legs,  "They  had,  however," 
says  the  navigator,  "  adapted  a  practice,  without  which  none 
of  our  belles  nnd  beaux  are  supposed  to  be  completely  dressed  ; 
for  the  hair,  or  rather  the  wool  upon  their  heads,  was  very  abun- 
dantly powdered  with  white  powder,  and  not  only  their  heads 
but  their  beards  too."t     Steering  nearly  westward,  in  a  short 

*  The  perplexing  discrepances  between  the  text  and  charts  or  this 
voyage  render  it  almost  impossible  lo  present  a  clear  account  of  the  sit- 
uation or  these  islands.  I'lie  island  called  in  the  chart  "  T.  Man**  fie<>ms 
to  be  what  in  the  text  is  called  the  Uuke  of  York's  Island  ;  and  the  Isle 
of  Man  or  the  text  seems  to  be  the  small  oblong  island  north  of  the 
promontory,  named  in  the  chart  Cape  Stephens. 

t  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  i.,  p.  379. 


■(  i> 


' 


BYRONi  WALLI8,  AND  CARTERET.         179 

time  he  came  to  the  southwest  extremity  of  New  Ireland, 
which  was  named  Cape  Byron ;  while  to  an  island,  divided 
from  the  other  by  a  narrow  strait,  he  gave  the  title  of  New 
Hanover.  This  is  described  as  high,  ''finely  covered  with 
trees,  among  which  are  many  plantations,  and  the  whole  has  a 
most  beautiful  appearance."  Next  morning,  six  or  seven  isl- 
ands were  perceived  to  the  westward ;  their  extent  was  very 
considerable,  and  they  were  named  after  the  Duke  of  Port- 
land. The  swell  of  the  sea  now  convinced  Carteret  that  he 
had  passed  through  the  channel  and  was  clear  of  all  the  land. 

On  the  16th  September  he  reached  some  islands,  of  which 
the  inhabitants  resembled  those  of  New  keland;  but  this 
cluster,  called  by  him  the  Admiralty,  he  was  obliged  to  leave 
after  a  very  superficial  and  imperfect  examination.  Four 
days  later  he  discovered  two  small  ones,  which  he  called 
Durour^s  and  Maty's ;  and  on  the  24th,  other  two,  to  which 
he  gave  the  name  of  Stephens*s  Islands.*  The  next  day  he 
observed  a  group,  consisting  of  three,  surrounded  by  a  reef. 
The  natives  were  of  a  copper  colour,  with  fine  long  black  hair 
and  pleasing  futures,  evidently  of  a  distinct  race  from  the 
people  of  New  Ireland.  One  of  them  who  came  on  board  re- 
fused to  leave  the  ship,  and  accompanied  the  voyagers  ta 
Celebes,  where  he  died.  The  captain  called  him  Joseph 
Freewill,  and  named  the  islands  after  him  ;  though  the  ori- 
ginal designations  were  ascertained  to  be  Pegan,  Onata,  and 
Onello.  On  the  12th  of  October  a  spot  of  land  scarcely  big- 
ger than  a  rock  was  seen,  and  denominated  Current  Islana ; 
and  the  next  day  two  nearly  as  small  were  observed,  on 
which  the  title  of  St.  Andrew  was  bestowed. 

On  the  26th  the  adventurers  made  the  coast  of  Mindanao, 
one  of  the  Philippines,  where  they  spent  several  days  in  en- 
deavouring to  establish  a  friendly  communication  with  the 
natives.  On  the  4th  of  November,  finding  themselves  dis- 
appointed in  their  hopes  of  procuring  refreshments,  they  set 
sail  for  the  Island  of  Celebes.  In  their  progress  they  were 
attacked  at  midnight  by  a  pirate,  who  endeavoured  to  board 


i 


\i 


*  The  late  French  navigator,  Duperrey,  having  in  vain  sought  tbr  the 
islands  teat  named  in  the  situation  assigned  to  them  by  Caneret,  has 
come  to  the  eonctusion  that  they  are  the  Providence  Islands  ofDampier. 
—Lives  and  Voyages  of  Drake,  Cavendish,  and  Dampier,  chap,  xi.;  and 
Rapport  fkit  &  I'Acad^mie  Royale  des  Sciences,  sur  le  Voyage  de  la  Co> 
quille,  command^e  par  M.  L.  J.  Duperrey.    4to,  p.  Iv.  :    , 

Pa 


saUtt 


174     CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS  OP  BYRON,  ETC. 


w 


t^ 


7 


them.  Defeated  in  this  attempt,  he  commenced  a  discharge 
with  swivel-guns  and  firearms,  which  the  Enghshman  re- 
turned with  such  deadly  effect,  "  that  shortly  after  he  sunk, 
and  all  the  unhappy  wretches  on  board  perished.  It  was  a 
small  vesh  I ;  but  of  what  country,  or  how  manned,  it  was 
impossible  tor  us  to  know."  At  length,  after  a  tedious  and 
stormy  passage,  on  the  16th  of  December  Carteret  anchored 
off"  the  town  of  Macassar,  from  which  he  removed  in  a  few 
days  to  the  Bay  of  Bonthain.  The  jealousy  of  the  Dutch, 
which  had  prevented  him  from  remaining  at  the  former  place, 
wrought  him  considerable  annoyance  d'^ring  the  five  months 
he  stayed  at  tbr*  Xtex.  On  the  22d  of  May,  1768,  he  set  sail 
for  the  Island  c  Java,  where  his  vessel  underwent  extensive 
repairs  before  proceeding  on  her  homeward  voyage.  He 
kopped  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  on  the  28th  November, 
and  continued  there  till  the  6th  of  January,  1769.  On  the 
19th  of  February,*  nearly  three  weeks  after  leaving  the  Isl- 
and of  Ascension,  a  ship  was  discovered  bearing  French  col- 
ours ;  and  at  noon  of  the  next  day  she  was  so  close  to  the 
Swallow  as  to  be  able  to  hail  her.  "  To  my  great  surprise," 
says  the  captain,  "  the  French  vessel  made  use  both  of  my 
name  and  that  of  the  ship,  inquiring  after  my  health,  and  tell- 
ing me,  that  after  the  return  of  the  Dolphin  to  Europe,  it  was 
I  Jieved  we  had  suffered  shipwreck  in  the  Streight  of  Magel- 
lan, and  that  two  ships  had  been  sent  out  in  quest  of  us." 
The  officer  here  alluded  to  was  M.  Bougainville,  who  had 
just  sailed  round  the  globe,  and  was  now  directing  his  course 
homeward.  No  other  incident  worthy  of  notice  occurred 
during  the  voyage.  On  the  7th  March  the  Swallow  made 
the  Azores,  or  Western  Islands,  and  passing  between  St. 
Michael  and  Terceira,t»dropped  anchor  on  the  20th  at  Spit- 
head. 

More  than  six  months  before  the  return  of  Carteret,  Cap- 
tain Cook  had  sailed  from  England  on  the  first  of  those  expe- 


n 


*  The  date  assigned  to  this  rencounter  by  Bougainville,  in  the  text  of 
his  book  (p.  386),  is  the  25th  of  February,  atid  the  18(h  is  that  given  in 
the  introduction  (p.  7),  where  he  says  Carteret  arrived  in  England  in 
June,  two  months  later  than  the  true  date. 

t  The  Hibliotheque  Universelle  des  Voyages, par M.  Albert  Mont^mont, 
Paris,  1833,  translates  this  part  of  Carteret's  Journal  as  followa :— "  Le 
7  Mars  nous  arrivftmes  aux  iles  Hebrides,  et  nous  passimes  entre 
Saint-Michel  et  Terccrc."— Vol.  iii.,  p.  229.  Who  could  have  imagined 
ibat  idt.  Micbael  and  Terceira  were  among  the  number  of  the  Hebrides. 


^t"^ 


r^RCUMNAVIGATION   OP   BOUGAINVILLE.    175 

ditions  which  brought  him  such  imperishable  honour  and  so 
widely  enlarged  the  bounds  of  science.  But  before  we  pro- 
ceed to  the  relation  of  the  life  and  actions  of  this  illustrious 
navigator,  we  have  to  record  the  circumnavigation  of  the 
Frenchman  just  named,  and  the  voyages  of  one  or  two  less 
distinguished  discoverers. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Circumnavigation  of  Bougainville. 

Project  for  Colonizing  the  Fallcland  Islands.— Thuir  Cession  to  Spain.— 
Diaputes  with  Engiland.— Settlements  abandoned.— Bougainville  di8> 
covers  the  Dangerous  Archipelago.— Maitea.—Otaheite.— Incidents 
during  his  Stay  there.— Takes  a  Native  with  him. — The  Grand  Cy- 
clades  or  Australia  del  Espiritu  Santo.— Louisiade  or  the  Soiomoiifi. — 
Bouca.— Choiseul  and  Bougainville  Islands.- Return  to  France.— The 
Otaheitan  in  Paris.- Voyage  of  Marion.— Expedition  of  Surville.— 
Terre  des  Arsacidos.— Voyage  of  Shcnland.— New  Georgia.— Retro- 
spect. 

France  was  among  the  latest  of  European  nations  to  em- 
bark in  South  Sea  discovery.  Her  career  may  be  said  to 
commence  with  Bougainville  ;  for  before  his  day  she  had  pro- 
duced very  few  eminent  navigators,  and  of  these  the  adven- 
tures are  so  imperfectly  recorded,  that  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  separate  what  is  certain  from  what  is  doubtful,  or  to  distin- 
guish between  truth  and  fiction. 

In  1503  the  Sieur  Binot  Paulmier  de  Gonneville  is  re- 
ported, in  sailing  to  the  East  Indies,  to  have  obtained  a  view 
of  a  southern  land,  by  some  imagined  to  be  New  Holland ; 
though,  with  a  greater  show  of  reason,  it  is  supposed  by 
others  to  be  the  Island  of  Madagascar.  The  discoveries  of 
La  Roche  and  of  De  Beauchesne  Goum,  in  the  latter  years 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  have  been  already  mentioned.* 
The  beginning  of  tho  succeeding  age  was  marked  by  several 
French  expeditions  into  the  Pacific,  but  which  were  attended 
by  no  results  of  any  interest  or  importance.  It  is  only  ne- 
cessary to  advert  to  one  of  them — that  of  Le  Gentil  de  la 
Barbinais — and  even  this  is  involved  in  so  much  doubt,  that 

*  See  p.  111,  112. 


i 


[1 


w. 


i 


176    CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OP  BOUGAINVILLE. 

the  acute  Bumey  has  questioned  "  if  such  a  voyage  was  really 
made  by  such  a  person."*  This  officer  is  said  to  have  en- 
gaged as  supercargo  of  a  French  ship,  under  an  EngHsh  com- 
mission, bound  for  the  South  Sea.  He  left  France  in  August, 
1714,  Avas  at  Concepcion  in  March  following,  and  about  a 
twelvemonth  afterward  pro  eeded  to  China.  Subjected  there 
to  various  delays,  he  embarked  on  board  another  vessel,  and 
returned  home  in  1718.  His  narrative  is  disfigured  by  the 
grossest  ignorani^e,  and  is  perfectly  useless  for  any  geographi- 
cal purpose.  As  a  specimen  of  his  accuracy,  it  may  be  men- 
tioned that  he  places  Port  Desire  on  Tierra  del  Fuego ;  as- 
signs to  Staten  Island  a  more  southerly  latitude  than  Cape 
Horn ;  and  tells  that  this  latter  promontory  was  discovered 
by  a  certain  Captain  Hooni,  who  gave  it  his  own  name. 

The  first  French  circumnavigation  had  its  origin  in  a  de- 
sign of  colonizing  the  Falkland  Islands — a  project  which,  as 
we  have  seen,  occupied  a  prominent  place  in  the  expedition 
of  Commodore  Byron,  t 

liOuis  Antoine  do  Bougainville  was  bom  at  Paris  in  1729, 
of  a  family  of  which  he  was  not  the  only  distinguished 
member — the  writings  of  his  elder  brother,  Jean-Pierre,  hav- 
ing assigned  him  a  high  rank  as  a  geographer,  a  critic,  an  anti- 
quary, and  a  poet.  The  early  life  of  the  fonner  was  marked 
more  by  activity  than  by  steadiness  of  purpose.  He  passed 
through  a  variety  of  professions,  and  was  successively  a  barris- 
ter, secretary  to  an  ambassador,  an  adjutant,  a  captain  of  dra- 
goons, an  aid-de-camp,  and  a  colonel  of  infantry.  In  all  these 
capacities  he  discharged  his  duties  with  great  reputation,  and 
among  other  honours  which  he  received,  his*  sovereign  con- 
ferred on  him  the  order  of  Saint  Louis.  When  the  peace  of 
1763  deprived  him  of  a  fteld  for  the  exertion  of  his  military 
talents,  he  turned  his  attention  to  naval  affairs  :  and,  struck 
with  the  happy  situation  of  the  Falkland  Islands  as  a  place 

'"  Cliron.  Hifit.  Discov.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  508. 

t  BoujtainviHe,  who  had  ap^ieared  as  an  author  before  h5s  circum- 
navigation, hinriHeir  wrote  the  history  or  his  voyage,  under  the  title  of 
X  Voyage  autour  du  Monde  par  la  Frigate  du  Roi  La  Boudeuse  et  la 
FlOte  L'Etoile,  1766-1760.  Paris,  1771,"  4to  Another  edition  appeared 
in  1772,  in  two  volunnefl  8vo. ;  and  in  the  same  year  an  abridged  trans- 
lation into  the  German  language  was  publislied  at  Leip8ic,in  one  volume 
Svo.  An  English  translation,  by  John  Keinhold  Forstcr,  was  printed  at 
London  in  1772,  in  one  volume  4to.  Occasion  will  be  taken  to  point 
«iU  a  ftw  of  ti»  blunders  which  disfigure  this  publication. 


off 

tol 

thl 


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CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   BOUGAINVILLE.   177 


of  refreshment  for  vessels  sailing  to  the  Pacific,  he  proposed 
to  the  French  government  the  estabUshment  of  a  settlement 
there.  The  expense  of  the  expedition  he  undertook  to  dis- 
charge from  his  owoi  private  resources,  aided  by  his  relatives ; 
and  having  procured  two  vessels,  the  one  of  twenty,*  the 
other  of  twelve  guns,  he  set  sail  from  St.  Malo  on  the  15th 
of  September,  1763.  After  touching  at  Santa  Catalina  and  at 
Monte  Video,  to  procure  a  stock  of  horses  and  horned  cattle,  he 
arrived  at  the  Falklands  on  the  31st  of  January  in  the  following 
year ;  and,  having  sailed  along  the  northern  coast  in  search 
of  a  harbour,  came  to  a  great  bay  in  the  eastern  extremity 
of  the  cluster,  which  seemed  to  be  well  fitted  for  the  proposed 
coltfny.  On  landing,  he  discovered  the  cause  of  an  illusion 
which  had  deceived  many  of  the  early  voyagers,  to  whom  it 
appeared  that  these  islands  were  covered  with  wood — an  ef- 
fect produced  by  a  gigantic  rush,  not  less  than  five  feet  in 
height.  He  remarked,  too,  the  singular  fearlessness  with 
which  the  animals,  hitherto  the  only  inhabitants  of  these  bleak 
regions,  approached  the  colonists  ;  and  that  the  birds  permit- 
ted themselves  to  be  taken  by  the  hand,  and  even  voluntarily 
alighted  on  the  persons  of  the  new  settlers.  When  the 
islands  were  lately  visited  by  his  majesty's  ships  Tyne  and 
Clio,  the  British  officers  made  a  similar  observation.  "  The 
snipes  were  abundant  in  the  marshy  places,  and  so  heedless 
of  approach  as  almost  to  submit  being  trodden  upon  before 
taking  to  flight ;"  and  the  wild  geese  are  described  as  "  stand 
ing  goggling  with  outstretched  necks  at  their  assailants,  merely 
trying  to  get  out  of  the  way  with  feet,  when  wings  would 
have  served  them  better,  "t 

Bougainville's  little  establishment  consisted  of  no  more  than 
twenty-seven  individuals,  five  of  whom  were  females,  and 
three  children.  On  the  1 7th  of  March  they  commenced  the 
construction  of  their  future  habitations,  which  were  merely 
huts  covered  with  rushes.  They  also  erected  a  magazine  ca- 
pable of  containing  provisions  for  two  years,  and  a  small  fort 
mounting  fourteen  pieces  of  cannon.     To  encourage  this  fee- 

*  Buriiey,  on  what  authority  we  know  not,  describes  the  larger  of  the 
two  vessels  as  carryini?  twenty-four  guns.— Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  v., 
p.  14.?.  M.  de  Bougainville's  words  are—"  L'Aigle  de  vingt  canons  et  le 
Sphinx  de  douze." — Voyage  autour  du  Mondn. )».  48. 

T  Narrative  of  a  Visit  to  the  Fallviand  Idiiinds,  by  an  Officer  of  the 
Tyne ;  published  in  the  Athenifiuni,  Numbers  899  and  300,  90(h  and 
27ih  July,  1833. 


1 

1, 


178     CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OP   BOUGAINVILLE. 


M 


ble  community,  M.  dc  Nerville,  cousin  to  the  navigator,  con- 
sented to  remain  in  charge  of  their  interests  until  his  relative 
should  return  from  France  with  supplies  ;  and,  having  made 
these  arrangements,  the  latter  solemnly  took  possession  of  the 
country  in  his  sovereign's  name,  and  on  the  8th  of  April  set 
sail  for  France.  In  October  he  again  departed  from  St.  Malo, 
and  reached  the  Falklands  on  the '6th  January,  1765,  having 
during  the  voyage  made  a  fruitless  search  for  Pepys'  Island. 
He  found  the  settlers  in  perfect  health,  and,  having  landed  those 
he  had  brought  with  him,  he  proceeded  to  the  Straits  of  Ma- 
gellan, in  order  to  take  in  a  coiqo  of  wood  for  their  use.  From 
this  voyage,  in  which  he  saw  the  fleet  of  Commodore  Byron, 
he  returned  on  the  29th  of  March ;  and  on  the  27th  April  fol- 
lowing sailed  again  for  his  native  country,  leaving  behind  him 
no  fewer  than  eighty  persons.*  In  the  latter  part  of  the  same 
year  he  despatched  a  vessel  from  France,  which  was  accom- 
panied with  a  store-ship  belonging  to  the  king,  carrying  pro- 
visions and  ammunition  to  the  settlement.  These  left  the  col- 
ony in  a  prosperous  condition ;  its  numbers  were  about  150  ; 
the  governor  and  commissary  (I'ordonnatcur)  were  provided 
with  commodious  mansions  of  stone,  and  the  rest  of  the 
population  had  houses  built  of  turf.  There  were  three  maga- 
zines for  public  and  private  stores  ;  of  the  wood  brought  from 
the  Straits  several  vessels  had  been  built,  besides  two  schoon- 
ers destined  to  make  a  survey  of  the  coasts ;  and  a  cargo, 
consisting  of  oil  and  the  skins  of  sea-wolves,  was  consigned  to 
the  mother  country. 

It  will  be  in  the  recollection  of  the  reader,  that,  in  January, 
1765,  Commodore  Byron  had  taken  possession  of  the  Falklanda 
in  the  name  of  his  Britannic  Majesty,  and  had  rapidly  surveyed 
their  coasts  and  harbours,  t  In  1776  an  Engheh  settlement 
was  made  at  Port  Egmont  (the  Port  de  la  Croisade  of  the 
French) ;  and  in  December  of  that  year  Captain  Macbride, 
of  the  Jason  frigate,  having  touched  at  the  establishment 
formed  by  Bougainville,  claimed  the  islands  as  belonging  to 
the  British  crown,  and  threatened  to  force  a  landing  if  it  were 
not  amicably  conceded.     His  threats  did  not  require  to  be  ex- 

•  *'  La  colonie  se  trouvait  compos^e  de  quatre-vingts  personnes,"  says 
M.  de  Bougainville,  p.  52.  This  Mr.  J.  R.  Forsler  tranHlates— "  The 
colony  consisted  of  twenty-four  persons."— P.  41.  The  rame  statement 
is  repeated  at  p.  135,  vol.  iv.,  of"  An  Historical  account  ot  ell  the  Voy> 
ages  round  the  World."    4  vols.  8vo.    London,  1773. 

t  See  above,  p.  147. 


: 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF   BOUGAINVILLE.    179 


ecuted ;  he  was  permitted  to  go  ashore,  and,  having  visited 
the  governor,  left  the  colonists  in  peace.  Before  this  period, 
however,  the  Spaniards  had  advanced  a  claim,  which  the 
court  of  France  were  not  inclined  very  seriously  to  resist,  as 
they  had  found  by  this  time  that  there  was  small  chance  that 
their  particular  views  would  ever  be  realized.  Accordingly, 
in  the  month  of  November,  1766,  the  French  administration 
acknowledged  the  right  urged  by  Spain,  and  determined  to 
cede  the  islands  accordingly.  M.  de  Bougainville,  has  omit- 
ted to  mention  the  grounds  on  which  this  demand  was  bused  ; 
but  from  the  expression  "  le  droit  primitif,"  and  Vus  attempt 
to  give  to  the  Spaniards  the  honour  of  first  visiting  the  Falk- 
knus,  it  may  be  conjectured  that  their  clbim  was  made  on  this 
footing.  "  It  appears  to  me,"  says  he,  "  that  the  fijrst  discov- 
ery of  them  may  be  attributed  to  the  celebrated  Amerigo  Ves- 
pucci, who,  during  his  third  voyage  for  the  discovery  of 
America,  in  the  year  1502,  sailed  along  the  northern  coast. 
He  was  ignorant,  indeed,  if  it  belonged  to  an  island  or  was 
part  of  a  continent ;  but  it  is  easy  to  conclude  from  the  route 
which  he  followed,  from  the  latitude  at  which  he  arrived,  and 
from  his  description  of  the  coast,  that  it  was  the  shore  of  the 
Malouines."*  But  M.  de  Bougainville,  in  forming  this  the- 
ory, must  have  misunderstood  the  main  facts  on  which  he  pro- 
ceeds. "  We  found  this  land,"  says  Vespucci,  "  altogether 
barren,  without  harbours,  and  destitute  of  inhabitants."  These 
remarks  cannot  apply  to  the  Falkland  Islands,  which,  says  Bur- 
ney,  "  in  every  quarter  present  good  harbours,  where  safe  an- 
chorage may  be  found."  Put  even  if  the  merit  of  making  it 
known  is  to  be  attributed  to  Vi^spucci,  still  it  confers  no  "  droit 
primitif  on  the  Spanish  crown,  as  that  navigator,  during  the 
voyage  in  question,  was  in  the  service  of  Emanuel,  king  of 
Portugal.  + 


says 

The 

imcnt 

sVoy- 


*  Voyage,  p.  47  The  Malonines  is  the  name  commonly  applied  by 
the  FmncU  to  th^  duster,  which,  to  the  gri£70UB  perplexity  of  geogra* 
phere.  has  at  diffemtt  times  received  the  names  of  Davis's  Soathern  Isl- 
ands, Hawkins's  Muden-land,  Slbaldde  Weert'e  Islands,  Pepys*^  Island, 
Belfia  Aufitrali*,  Isles  of  St.  Louis,  Malouines,  Isles  Noavelles,  and  Falk- 
land Islands. 

t  It  has  been  already  stated  (above,  p.  67)  that  these  islands  were 
dincovered  by  Captain  John  Davis,  and  any  Isngfhened  discussion  of 
Vei<pucci's  claim  were  here  out  of  place,  it  niey  bt;  mentioned,  that  his 
voyages  are  involved  in  much  doubt,  and  ihft  better  evidence  than  has 
yet  bees  adduced  must  be  brought  forward  belbre  we  can  place  implicit 
reliance  on  his  alleged  discoveries.    The  reader  will  And  an  instrnctiVQ 


iiiii-atifc"'^-''^™^^':"'^-^ 


r 


180    CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  BOUGAINVILLE. 


France  having,  on  whatever  grounds,  recognised  the  claim 
now  mentioned,  M.  de  Bougainville  received  orders  to  proceed 
to  the  colony,  and,  after  formally  delivering  it  up  to  the 
Spaniards,  to  make  his  way  to  the  East  Indies  by  pursuing  a 
course  between  the  tropics.  For  this  expedition  he  received 
the  command  of  the  frigate  La  Boudeuse,  mounting  twenty- 
six  twelve-pounders,  with  power  to  re-enforce  himself  at  the 
Falklands  by  taking  the  store-ship  L'Etoile.  He  put  to  sea 
on  the  15th  of  November,  1766,  but  on  the  2l8t  was  obliged, 
by  stress  of  weather,  to  seek  refuge  in  Brest.  Here  he  made 
various  alterations  in  the  equipment  of  his  vessel,  in  particular 
exchanging  his  heavy  cannon  for  the  same  munber  of  eight- 
pounders.  On  the  5th  December  he  resumed  his  voyage, 
with  a  crew  consisting  of  eleven  officers,  three  volunteers, 
and  203  sailors,  warrant-officers,  soldiers,  cabin-boys,  and 
servants.  He  was  also  accompanied  by  M.  le  Prince  de 
Nassau  Sieghen,  who  had  obtained  the  king's  permission  to 
join  the  discoverers. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  January,  1767,  he  arrived  at 
Monte  Video,  where  he  found  two  Spanish  frigates  conmiis- 
sioned  to  receive  the  formal  cession  of  the  Falklands.  In 
company  with  these  he  sailed  on  the  28th  of  February,  and  on 
the  evening  of  the  23d  of  March  anchored  off  the  islands. 
On  the  1st  April  he  delivered  the  settlement  to  the  proper 
officers,  who  took  possession  of  it  by  hoisting  their  national 
standard,  which,  at  sumise  and  at  sunset,  was  honoured  with 
a  salute  of  twenty-one  guns,  as  well  from  the  shore  as  from 
the  ships  in  the  port.  A  letter  from  the  French  king  was 
read  to  the  colonists,  granting  them  license  to  remain  under 

discussion  on  Vespucci  in  the  Appendix  No.  ix.  to  Mr.  Washington  Irv- 
ing's  History  of  Columbus  (vol.  iv.,  p.  157.  101).  We  are  certainly  "-i 
the  opinion  expressed  by  Dr.  Robertson,  th  *  leveral  years  after  the  al- 
leged voyage  or  Vespucci,  the  ftrthest  extent  ul'  discovery  did  ntit  exceed 
"  thirty-five  degrees  south  of  the  equator."  It  is  singular  that  Malta 
l^ruu  should  have  been  ignorant  of  the  theory  put  forward  by  Kougain- 
ville.  "  Permetty  an  J  Rougtinville  are  of  opinion,"  he  says, "  that  these 
islands  were  tliscovt-red  between  the  years  1700  and  1708,  by  five  vesaels 
that  set  out  from  t^'aint  Malo  ;  hence  the  origin  oi  their  French  name." 
Malte  firun  (English  translation),  vol.  v.,  p.  482.  8ince  this  :<ote  was 
written,  the  author  has  seen  the  Voyage  autour  du  Monde  of  M.  L)ur«r- 
rey,  who  has  come  to  the  same  conclusion,  that  Vespucci  did  not  discov- 
er the  Falltlands.  M.  Uuperrey  thinks  that  the  land  discovered  by  Ves* 
Sued  was  the  New  South  Georgia  of  Cook,  which  he  supposes  u>  have 
een  previously  visited  by  La  Roche  and  Dncloa  Guyot.— Voyase  de  la 
CoquUle,  Fartie  Historique,  vol.  i.,  p.  06. 


'■,«y--Tttg'g—-^';!-W! 


I  claim 
iroceed 
to  the 
)uing  a 
Bceived 
twenty- 
f  at  the 
t  to  sea 
obliged, 
tie  made 
articular 
>f  eight- 
voyage, 
lunteers, 
oys,  and 
»nnce  de 
mission  to 

arrived  at 
commis- 
atnds.     In 
ty,  and  on 
e  islands, 
he  proper 
r  national 
nired  with 
•e  as  from 
king  was 
lain  under 

jlngton  Irv- 
[certainly  '^f 
laftertheai- 
Inni  exceed 
tbat  Malte 
■by  Kougain- 
, "  ibat  these 
Qve  vemelB 
Biicb  name." 
.lis  wote  was 
fM.  Uttr«r- 
1  not  divcov- 
jredbyVes- 
MM  tf>  bave 
^oyasa  de  la 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF  BOUGAINVILLE.   18! 

the  dominion  of  their  new  sovereign — a  permission  of  which 
several  famihcs  availed  themselves.     The  rest  embarked  in 
the  Spanish  vessels,  which  sailed  for  Monte  Video  in  the  end 
of  April,  leaving  Bougainville  to  wait  the  arrival  of  the  Etoile. 
Before  entering  on  the  narrative  of  his  voyage,  it  may  be 
proper  briefly  to  advert  to  the  fate  of  the  settlers  on  these  con- 
tested islands.     In  November,  1769,  an  English  frigate,  which 
cruised  in  those  seas,  fell  in  with  a  schooner  belonging  to 
Pert  Solidad,  as  the  station  was  now  named.     The  claims  of 
the  British  captain  were  met  by  strong  assertions  of  right  on 
the  side  of  the  Spaniard ;  but  the  parties  contented  themselves 
with  formal  protests  and  declarations,  and  no  hostilities  ensued 
for  some  months.     On  the  4th  of  June,  1770,  a  vessel  of  the 
same  nation  put  into  Port  Egmont,  under  pretence  of  distress, 
but  the  arrival,  three  days  after,  of  four  other  frigates,  her 
consorts,  speedily  led  to  the  disclosure  of  the  real  objects  of 
the  visit.     This  force  consisted  of  five  ships,  bearing  134  guns 
and  upwards  of  1600  man,  including  a  party  of  soldiers  and  ma- 
rines, who  were  accompanied  by  a  train  of  artillery,  comprising 
twenty-seven  pieces,  besides  four  mortars  and  some  hundred 
bombs.     These  extensive  preparations  are  certainly  placed  in 
a  ludicrous  point  of  view,  when  it  is  mentioned  that  they  were 
directed  against  "a  wooden  block-house,  which  had  not  a 
port-hole  cut  in  it,  and  only  four  pieces  of  cannon,  which  were 
sunk  in  the  mud,  to  defend  it."*     The  officer  in  command 
saw  the  impossibility  of  making  any  effectual  resistance,  and 
only  waited  the  actual  commencement  of  hostilities  that  he 
might  demand  articles  of  capitulation.     These  were  concluded 
on  the  10th  of  June ;  and  shortly  afterward  all  the  settlers 
embarked  in  the  frigate,  and  reached  England  in  September. 
The  intelligence  of  these  transactions  excited  a  strong  sensa- 
tion there,  and  the  popular  voice  was  loud  in  demanding  redress 
for  this  act  of  injustice.     Ministers  were  charged  with  mean- 
ness in  tamely  submitting  to  an  insult  on  the  nation,  and  sev- 
eral motions  on  the  subject  were  m&de  in  parliament.     After 
much  negotiation,  the  matter  was  amicably  arranged,  by  a  dec- 
laration of  the  Spanish  sovereign,  that  "he  disavowed  the 
said  violent  enterprise."    At  the  same  time  he  gave  his  con- 
sent that  the  English  should  be  reinstated  in  the  same  condi- 
tion as  before  the  10th  of  June— coupled,  however,  with  a 

*"  Annual  Register  for  1771,  p.  9. 


:!    i         * 


182   CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  BOUGAINVILLE. 

reservation,  that  this  concession  should  not  anywise  "  affect 
the  question  of  the  prior  right  of  sovereignty  of  the  islands." 
In  virtue  of  this  explanation,  Port  Egmont  was  formally  re- 
stored to  the  British  in  September,  1771 ;  but  the  settlement, 
which  had  led  to  so  much  discussion,  and  nearly  involved  the 
country  in  war,  was  found  so  unprofitable,  that  it  was  aban- 
doned the  succeeding  year.  The  history  of  the  establishment 
which  the  British  government  has  recently  made  in  these  isl- 
ands belongs  to  another  part  of  our  work. 

We  now  return  to  M.  de  Bougainville,  who,  having  remained 
at  the  Falklands  during  the  months  of  March,  April,  and  May, 
1767,  without  being  joined  by  the  store-ship  that  was  to  ac- 
company him,  at  length  set  sail  for  Rio  Janeiro  in  the  begin- 
ning of  June.  This  port  had  been  aj^ointed  as  a  place  of 
rendezvous  in  the  event  of  L'Etoile  failing  to  reach  the  Ma- 
louines ;  and  on  his  arrival,  he  found  that  his  consort  had 
been  in  the  harbour  about  a  week.  He  continued  there  until 
the  middle  of  July,  when  he  proceeded  to  Monte  Video; 
where  he  was  so  long  detained  by  various  accidents,  that  he 
did  not  resume  his  voyage  till  the  month  of  November  was  far 
advanced.  The  Cape  de  las  Virgenes  was  made  on  the  2d 
December,  and  on  the  23d  of  January,  1768,  he  cleared  the 
western  entrance  of  the  Straits  of  Magellan.  During  this  pas- 
sage he  had  various  interviews  with  the  tribes,  both  on  Tierra 
del  Fuego  and  on  the  continent.  In  a  group  of  Patagonians 
which  he  describes,  there  was  none  taller  than  five  feet  ten 
inches,  nor  below  five  feet  five,  French  measure ;  which, 
being  reduced  to  the  English  standard,  gives  as  the  greatest 
stature  six  feet  2'57[04  inches,  and  as  the  smallest,  five  feet 
10*334  inches.  We  are  told,  at  the  same  time,  that  the  crew 
of  L'Etoile  had,  on  a  previous  voyage,  seen  several  natives 
whose  height  exceeded  by  four  inches  that  now  stated. 
•  His  first  object,  on  entering  the  Pacific,  was  to  search  for 
Davis's  Land,  which,  like  many  previous  navigators,  he  did 
not  find.  He  then  directed  his  course  in  a  more  westerly  di- 
rection, and  on  the  22d  of  March  discovered  four  small  isl- 
ands, to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Les  Quatre  Facardins. 
The  wind  prevented  him  from  approaching  this  group,  and  he 
therefore  bore  westward  for  a  small  island  about  four  lcague» 
distant.  So  heavy  a  sea  broke  on  all  sides,  that  it  was  found 
impossible  to  get  ashore  on  this  little  spot,  which,  from  the- 
appearance  of  its  inhabitants,  was  named  L'lle  des  Lanciexs. 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF  B0V6AINVILLI.    183 


At  daybreak  on  the  23d  land  was  again  visible ;  which,  on 
examination,  proved  to  be  an  islet  in  the  shape  of  a  horse- 
shoe very  much  elongated,  whence  he  was  induced  to  bestow 
on  it  the  name  of  L'lle  de  la  Harpe.     Captain  Cook  supposes 
Les  Quatre  Facardins  to  be  identical  with  the  Lagoon  Island 
discovered  in  his  first  voyage,  and  L'lle  des  Lanciera  and 
L'lle  de  la  Harpe  to  be  the  same  as  his  Thrum  Cap  and  Bow 
Island.*     In  this  hypothesis  he  has  been  followed  by  M. 
Fleurieu,   Captain  Beechey,  and  some  other  writers ;   but, 
much  as  we  are  disposed  to  respect  his  opinion,  we  cannot,  in 
this  instance,  yield  our  assent.     Bow  Island  and  L*Ile  de  la 
Harpe  are  evidently  one,  and  Les  Quatre  Facardins  may  witli 
some  probability  be  regarded  as  only  another  name  for  the 
Lagoon,  though  Cook's   remark,   that   "the  whole  looked 
like  many  islands,"  is  rather  opposed  to  M.  de  Bougaiiiville*s 
description  of  "  quatre  ilots."     But  our  chieif  objection  is  to 
the  identification  of  Thrum  Cap  with  L'lle  des  Landers.     In 
the  French  officer's  account  of  the  latter,  one  of  the  most 
prominent  features  is  the  cocoa-tree.     "Tout  I'interieur,'* 
says  he,  "^toit  convert  de  bois  toufFas,  au-dess-us  desqttels 
s'tlevoient  les  tiges  ficondes  des  cocotiers  ;'*  and  again,  "  Les 
cocotiers  nous  offroie^it  partout  leurs  fruits,  et  leur  ombre  sur 
nn  gazon  imatlli  de  fleurs.^^i     Of  Thrum  Cap,  Cook  says, 
**  Nor  could  we  distinguish  any  cocoanut-trees,  though  we 
were  within  half  a  mile  of  the  shore. "t    There  is  a  still  more 
material  discrepance  in  the  extent  of  these  islands ;  for  while 
the  one  just  named  is  described  as  "  not  much  above  a  mile  in 
compass,"^  we  are  told  that  L'lle  des  Lanciers  is  a  league  in 
diameter.     Captain  Beechey,  in  supporting  the  theory  of  Cook, 
mentions  a  circumstance  which,  had  he  attended  to  Bougain- 
ville's description,  must  have  convinced  him  it  could  never 
apply  to  Thrum  Cap.     That  island,  the  gallant  captain  re- 
marked, was  "  well  wooded,  and  steep  all  rounds    As  we 
approached  L'lle  des  Lanciers,  says  the  Frenchman,  "  we  per- 
ceived that  it  was  surrounded  by  a  very  level  shore  ofsand.*^\ 

*  GJeneral  Introduction  to  Cook's  Second  Voyage,  p.  xviii.  See  below, 
p.  219,220.    , 

t  Voyage,  p.  179.  i  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  73. 

^  Hawkeswonh'sColl.,  vol.ii.,p.73.  Captain  Beechey  says,  "Thrum 
Cap  is  only  17C0  yards  long,  by  1200  broad.^— Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol. 
i.,  p.  255,  et  ibid.,  210. 

II  *<  Nous  d^couvrlmes  qu'elle  est  bord£  d'une  plage  de  sable  tr^s  uule.** 
•-Voyage,  p.  179.  ? ,  * 


184   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   BOUGAINVILLE. 

These  striking  difTerences  lead  us  to  the  conclusion,  that 
Thrum  Cap  is  a  discovery  of  which  the  honour  is  due  to  Cook, 
and  that  L'lle  des  Lanciers  must  be  sought  for  in  some  other 
island  of  the  same  archipelago. 

On  the  25th  La  Boudeuse  was  near  a  very  low  island 
stretching  from  southeast  to  northwest,  in  length  about  twenty- 
four  miles  ;*  and  for  two  days  her  course  lay  among  several 
others,  which,  being  partly  overflowed  and  surrounded  by  rocks 
and  breakers,  rendered  the  navigation  very  perilous.  To  the 
whole,  lying  between  Les  Quatre  Facardins  and  these  last, 
was  given  the  general  name  of  "L'Archipel  Dangereux." 
Eleven  were  seen,  but  it  was  conjectured  that  there  were 
many  more,  and  M.  de  Bougainville  was  of  opinion  that  Qui- 
ros  discovered  the  south  part  of  the  chain  in  1606,  and  that 
it  is  the  same  to  which,  in  1722,  Roggewein  gave  the  name 
of  the  Labyrinth. 

The  voyagers  still  pursued  a  westerly  course,  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  2d  of  April  descried  a  high  and  very  steep 
mountain,  which  they  named  Le  Boudoir  or  Le  Pic  de  la 
Boudeuse.  This  is  the  Maitea  of  our  modem  maps,  the  Os- 
naburg  Island  of  Wallis,  and  probably  the  La  Decena  of 
Quiros.  As  they  drew  near,  they  beheld  land  more  to  the 
westward,  of  which  the  extent  was  undefined.  They  imme- 
diately bore  down  for  this  ;  but  it  was  not  until  the  morning 
of  the  4th  that  they  were  sufficiently  close  to  hold  any  com- 
munication with  the  inhabitants.  These  came  off  in  their 
skiffs,  and  presented  a  small  hog  and  a  branch  of  banana  in 
token  of  amity  ;  and  very  soon  after,  the  ships  were  surround- 
ed with  more  than  100  canoes,  engaged  in  a  brisk  traffic.  The 
French  voyager  seems  to  have  been  as  strongly  impressed 
with  the  beauty  of  Otaheite  as  was  his  predecessor  Wallis. 
"  The  aspect  of  the  coast,"  says  M.  de  Bougainville,  "  was 
very  pleasing.  The  mountains  rose  to  a  great  height,  yet 
there  was  no  appearance  of  barrenness,  all  parts  were  covered 
with  woods.  We  could  scarcely  believe  our  eyes  when  we 
beheld  a  peak  clothed  with  trees,  even  to  its  solitary  summit, 
which  rose  to  the  level  of  the  mountains  in  the  interior  part  of 
the  isle.  Its  breadth  grew  gradually  less  towards  the  top, 
and  at  a  distance  it  might  have  been  taken  for  some  pyramid 

*  "  Vingt'quatre  milles."— Voyage,  p.  182.    This  is  translated  by  J, 
B.  Forster  "  twenty-four  leagues.^ 


I* 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  BOUOAINYIl/LE.    185 


the 


was 


of  a  vast  height,  which  the  hand  of  a  tasteful  decorator  had 
inwreathed  with  garlands  of  foliage.  As  we  sailed  along  the 
coast,  our  eyes  were  struck  with  the  sight  of  a  beautiful  cas- 
cade, which  precipitated  itself  from  the  mountain-tops,  and 
threw  its  foaming  waters  into  the  sea.  A  village  was  sit- 
uated at  the  foot  of  the  waterfall,  and  there  appeared  to  be 
no  breakers  on  the  shores."* 

On  landing,  he  was  received  with  mingled  demonstrations 
of  joy  and  curiosity ;  and  the  chief  of  the  district  forthwith 
conducted  him  to  his  residence.  Here  he  found  several 
women,  who  saluted  him  by  laying  their  hands  «n  their 
breasts,  and  repeating  several  times  the  word  tayo.  An  old 
man,  also  an  'inmate  of  the  mansion,  seemed  to  be  dis- 
pleased with  the  appearance  of  the  strangers,  and  withdrew 
without  answering  their  courtesies,  but  he  manifested  neither 
fear,  astonishment,  nor  curiosity.  After  having  examined  the 
house,t  the  navigator  was  invited  to  a  repast  of  fruits,  broiled 
fish,  and  water,  on  the  grassy  turf  in  front,  and  he  received 
several  presents  of  cloth  and  ornaments. 

A  proposal  made  by  the  stranger  to  erect  a  camp  on  shore 
was  received  with  evident  displeasure,  and  he  was  informed 
that  though  his  crew  were  at  liberty  to  stay  on  the  island  du- 
ring the  day,  they  must  retire  to  their  ships  at  night.  On 
his  wishes  being  further  urged,  he  was  asked  if  he  meant  to 
remain  for  ever ;  to  which  he  answered  that  he  would  depart 
in  eighteen  days.  An  ineffectual  attempt  was  made  by  the 
natives  to  reduce  the  period  to  nine ;  but  they  at  last  con- 
sented, and  at  once  resumed  their  former  amicable  bearing. 
The  chief  set  apart  a  large  shed  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
sick ;  the  women  and  children  brought  antiscorbutic  plants 
and  shells,  when  they  learned  that  these  were  prized  by  the 
French ;  and  the  males  gave  their  cheerful  assistance  in  sup- 
plying the  vessels  with  wood  and  water.  Every  house  was 
open  to  the  strangers,  and  the  natives  vied  with  each  other  i& 

♦  Voyage,  p.  187, 188. 

t  During  this  examination,  M.  de  Bougainville  observed  an  image  of 
one  of  the  deities  of  the  natives,  and  has  given  a  very  graphic  deacriu- 
tion  or  it  in  his  work.  His  trannlator,  Mr.  J.  R.  Forster,  in  a  note  on  this 
passage,  denies  the  existence  or  idolatry  in  Otahdte,  and  with  cool  ar- 
rogance remarks,  that  "  had  M.  de  Bougainville  looked  upon  many  things 
with  a  more  philosophical  eye,  his  account  would  have  proved  leM  sub- 
ject to  mistakes."— P.  221.  We  need  not  say,  that  in  this  instance  the 
mistake  exi£>ts  only  in  the  "  more  philosophical  eye"  ik'the  translator. 

Q  2 


^. 


Av:: 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.1 


11.25 


liilM    |25 


|Z2 


Photographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


23  WBT  MAIN  STRffT 

WiBSTIR.N.Y.  MSSO 

(716)  172-4303 


0 


.** 


:^A 
V 


186  CIACUMNAVIGATION   OF  BOUGAINVILLE. 


Dancing  Woman  of  OtaheHe. 

excess  of  hospitality.  They  welcomed  them  with  songs  and 
feasts,  and  exnibited  their  dances  and  wrestling-matches  be- 
fore them.  *'  Often,  as  I  walked  into  the  interior,"  says  Bou- 
flainville,  "  I  thought  I  was  transported  into  the  Garden  of 
Eden ;  we  crossed  grassy  pldns  covered  with  fair  fruit-trees, 
and  watered  by  smul  •rivulets  which  di£fused  a  delicious  cool- 
ness around.  Under  the  shade  of  the  groves  lay  groups  of 
the  natives,  all  of  whom  gave  us  a  friendly  salutation ;  those 
whom  we  met  in  the  paths  stood  aside  that  we  might  pass, 
and  everywhere  we  beheld  hospitality,  peace,  calm  joy,  and 
all  signs  of  happiness."*  But  this  paradise  was  perfect  only 
in  appearance;  for  the  possessors  of  it  were  such  apcom- 
pUshed  pilferers,  that  nothing  was  safe  within  their  reach. 
"  We  were  obliged,"  says  he, "  to  take  care  even  of  our  pockets ; 

*  Voyage,  p.  IM. 


i  i 


B. 


gs  and 
les  be- 
s  Bou- 
den  of 
-trees, 
cool- 
ips  of 
those 
pass, 
and 
|t  only 
pcom- 
sach. 
pkets ; 


• 


CIRCCMNATieATION   OF  BOrOAINTILU.  187 

5 

for  the  thieves  of  Europe  are  not  more  adroit  than  the  inhab> 
itants  of  this  country."  Murder,  too,  was  soon  introduced 
into  this  elysium  ;  several  of  the  islanders  were  found  slain, 
and  evidently  by  the  arms  of  the  Europeans ;  though  the  ^ 
forts  of  the  captain  were  in  vain  exerted  to  discover  the  cul- 
prits. The  natives  shortly  after  withdrew  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  camp,  the  houses  were  abandoned,  no  canoe 
was  seen  on  the  sea,  and  the  whole  island  appeared  like  a 
desert.  The  Prince  of  Nassau,  who  was  sent  out  with  four 
or  live  men  to  search  for  the  people,  found  a  great  number  of 
them,  with  the  chief  Ereti,  about  a  league  distant.  The 
leader  approached  the  prince  in  great  fear ;  while  the  women, 
who  were  all  in  tears,  threw  themselves  on  their  knees  and 
kissed  his  hands,  weeping,  and  repeating  several  times, 
"  Tayo,  mate  P*  (You  are  our  friends,  yet  you  kill  us !)  The 
prince  succeeded  in  a  short  time  in  inspiring  them  with  :onfi- 
dence,  and  their  former  intercourse  was  renewed,  even  with 
greater  demonstrations  of  kindness  on  the  part  of  the  savages. 

The  bad  ground,  which  in  nine  days  cost  him  six  anchors, 
proved  a  powerful  reason  for  shortening  his  stay.  When  the 
chief  perceived  them  setting  sail,  he  leaped  into  the  first  canoe 
he  could  find  on  shore  and  rowed  to  the  vessel,  where  he  em- 
braced his  visiters,  and  bade  them  farewell  in  tears.  He 
took  by  the  hand  an  islander  who  had  come  off  in  one  of 
the  skiffs,  and  presented  him  to  the  commander,  stating  that 
his  name  was  Aotourou,  that  he  desired  to  go  with  him,  and 
begging  that  his  wish  might  be  granted.  The  young  man 
then  embraced  a  handsome  girl  who  seemed  to  be  his  mis- 
tress, gave  her  three  pearls  from  his  ears,  kissed  her  once 
more,  and,  nqtwithstanding  her  grief,  tore  himself  from 
her  arms  and  leaped  on  board.  "  Thus,"  says  Bougainville, 
"  we  quitted  that  good  people  ;  and  I  was  no  less  surprised 
at  the  sorrow  which  our  departure  occasioned  to  them,  than 
a*;  the  affectionate  confidence  they  showed  on  our  arrival." 
The  French  navigator  testified  his  sense  of  the  beauty  and 
enchantments  of  this  country  by  bestowing  on  it  the  name  of 
Nouvelle  Cythdre — an  appellation  which,  like  that  given  by 
his  predecessor  Wallis,  has  been  supplanted  by  the  native 
title  of  Otaheite. 

As  they  continued  their  course  westward,  they  discovered 
an  island  which  Aotourou  called  Oumaitia,  and  which  is,  per- 
haps, identical  with  that  of  Sir  Charles  Saunders,  one  of  the 


\ 


188   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF  BOUGAINVILLE. 


indigenous  appellations  of  which  is  Maiaoiti.*  It  was  now 
the  16th  of  April,  and  M.  de  Bougainville  shaped  his  course 
so  as  to  avoid  the  Pernicious  Islands  of  Roggewein.  One 
night  when  there  was  not  a  cloud  in  the  sky,  and  the  constel- 
lations shone  in  all  their  tropical  brilliancy,  Aotourou,  pointing 
to  a  star  in  the  shoulder  of  Orion,  bade  them  direct  their  pro- 
gress by  it,  and  in  two  days  they  would  reach  a  fruitful  coun- 
try which  he  knew,  and  where  he  had  friends.  Finding  that 
his  suggestions  were  not  complied  with,  he  endeavoured  to 
seize  the  helm  and  turn  the  vessel  towards  the  desired  point. 
It  was  with  great  difficulty  that  he  was  quieted,  and  the  refusal 
evidently  gave  him  much  sorrow.  At  daybreak  he  climbed  to 
the  topmast,  and  remained  there  the  whole  morning,  looking 
steadfastly  in  the  direction  of  the  territory  which  he  wished 
to  reach.  To  the  islands  which  he  had  passed  smce  he  quit- 
ted the  Dangerous  Archipelago,  Bougainville  gave  the  name 
of  L'Archipel  de  Bourbon. 

On  the  3d  of  May  land  was  seen  to  the  northwest,  and,  on 
a  nearer  approach,  proved  to  be  one  of  a  cluster  of  islands, 
among  which  the  French  captain  sailed  several  days.  The 
information  which  he  has  collected  regarding  this' group  (the 
Bauman  Islands  of  Roggewein)  is,  however,  very  scanty,  and 
he  may  be  said,  indeed,  to  have  effected  nothing  more  than  t9 
give  an  assurance  of  its  existence.  The  inhabitants  spoke  a 
unguage  distinct  from  that  of  Otaheite,  and  appeared  to  be- 
long to  a  different  and  more  savage  race.  He  named  their 
abode  L'Archipel  des  Navigateurs;  and  to  a  small  island 
which  he  saw  shortly  after  he  gave  the  appellation  of  L'En- 
fant  Perdu. 

At  daybreak  on  the  S2d  a  long  and  high  land  was  discov- 
ered to  the  westward,  and  when  the  sun  rose  two  islands  were 
discerned,  and  named  He  de  la  Pentecdte  and  He  Aurore. 
As  they  sailed  along  the  eastern  coast  of  the  latter  a  small 
but  very  lofty  eminence  was  seen ;  it  resembled  a  sugar- 
loaf  in  shape,  and  was  called  Le  Pic  de  TEtoile.t  Shortly 
after  some  mountains  were  perceived  towering  above  Aurora 

*  Ellis's  Polynesian  Researclies,  Sd  edition,  vol.  i.,  p.  8.  Th«  posi- 
tion assisned  to  Oumaitia  does  not  agree,  bowever,  witli  the  sitaation 
ofMaiaoTti. 

t  Tills  pealc,  in  Bougainville's  chart,  is  called  Fie  de  PAverdi^m  dis 
erepnnce  we  should  not  have  noticed,  had  it  not  been  transferred  to  the 
excellent  chart  prefixed  to  Captain  Cook's  second  voyage,  and  thus  apt 
to  perplex  the  Euglish  reader. 


LE. 

^at  now 
s  course 
n.  One 
constel- 
pointing 
heir  pro- 
ful  coun- 
ling  that 
rourcd  to 
ed  point, 
e  refusal 
imbed  to 
,  looking 
e  wished 
!  he  quit- 
he  name 

,  and,  OB 
f  islands, 
^s.  The 
roup  (the 
anty,  and 
e  than  t9 


to  he- 
ed their 
island 
L'En- 

discov- 
ids  were 
Aurore. 
a  small 
sugar- 
Shortly 
Aurora 

1*9  poai- 
litaation 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   BOUGAINVILLE.    189 

Island,  and  at  sunset  the  voyagers  were  full  in  view  of  th« 
coast  of  a  high  and  very  extensive  land.  In  the  morning  they 
sailed  along  its  northwest  shore,  which  was  steep  and  covered 
with  trees  ;  no  huts  were  perceptible,  but  several  canoes  de- 
scried at  a  distance,  and  columns  of  smoke  rising  from  the 
forests,  showed  that  it  was  inhabited.  About  nine  o'clock  a 
party  was  sent  on  shore  to  procure  wood  ;  they  found  the 
beach  crowded  with  natives,  who  were  armed  with  bows  and 
arrows,  and  made  signs  to  forbid  their  landing.  As  the 
French  continued  to  advance,  the  savages  gradually  drew 
back,  but  still  in  the  attitude  of  attack,  and  the  distribution  of 
a  few  pieces  of  red  cloth  only  produced  among  them  a  sort 
of  sullen  confidence  ;  they  still  kept  to  their  arms  and  watched 
the  voyagers  with  undisguised  suspicion.  M.  de  Bougain- 
ville landed  in  the  afternoon  to  perform  the  ceremony  of 
taking  possession  of  the  new  territories,  and  the  boats  having 
completed  their  lading,  the  whole  party  received  orders  to  re- 
turn. Scarcely  had  tney  left  the  shore,  when  the  natives  ad- 
vanced to  the  edge  of  the  water  and  directed  against  them  a 
shower  of  stones  and  arrows.  A  few  muskets  were  fired 
into  the  air  ;  but  the  savages  stiH  pressing  on  to  the  assault,  a 
more  deadly  discharge  was  directed  against  them,  and  they  fled 
into  the  woods  with  great  cries.  Bougainville  divides  these 
islanders  into  two  classes — ^black  and  mulatto.  Their  lipa 
are  thick  ;  their  hair  woolly  and  frizzled  ;  their  bodies  smaU^ 
ugly,  and  ill  made  ;  and  their  language  different  from  that  of 
Otaheite.  Their  arms  were  bows  and  arrows,  clubs  of  iron* 
wood,  and  slings  for  projecting  stones  ;  they  wore  ornaments 
in  their  nostrils,  a  sort  of  bracelets  on  their  arms,  and  plates 
of  turtle-shells  on  their  necks.  Their  condition  seemed  to  be 
very  miserable  ;  they  appeared  to  be  engaged  in  intestine  war ; 
and  the  harsh  sound  of  a  sort  of  drum  was  frequently  heard  in 
the  interior  of  the  woods  calling  them  to  the  combat.  From 
the  prevalence  of  the  loathsome  disease  of  leprosy,  Bougain- 
ville named  this  L'Isle  des  L6preux.  For  several  days  he  con- 
tinued to  sail  among  numerous  islands,  the  inhabitants  and 
general  appearance  of  which  exactly  resembled  that  which  he 
ad  visited.  He  was  unable,  however,  to  determine  either 
the  number  in  the  cluster,  or  to  examine  any  of  them  so 
closely  as  to  warrant  the  imposing  of  separate  names.  He 
had  no  doubt  that  this  archipelago  was  the  Australia  del  £s- 
piritu  Santo  of  Quiros,  and  even  concluded  that  he  bad  re- 


190  CUtCUMNAH'IGATION   OF   BOUGAINVILLE. 


(    ] 


f( 


discovered  the  Bay  of  San  Felipe  y  Santiago  of  that  navi- 
gator.* Notwithstanding  this  conviction,  he  gave  to  the 
group  the  title  of  L'Archipel  des  grandes  Cyclades — a  name 
whicn  has  been  superseded  by  that  of  New  Hebrides  bestowed 
by  Cook.  A  late  French  geographerf  has  proposed  a  third 
designation,  that  of  Archipel  de  Quiros,  in  honour  of  the  first 
visiter. 

While  the  voyagers  were  among  the  Grand  Cyclades,  a 
singular  discovery  was  made  on  board  the  Etoile.  The  fig- 
ure, voice,  and  beardless  chin  of  Bar6,  the  servant  of  M.  de 
Commergon  the  naturalist,  had  excited  suspicions  of  his  sex, 
which  were  removed  only  by  the  hardih.  od  with  which  he 
endured  toils  and  privations.  The  quick  eyes  of  the  Otahei- 
tans,  however,  pierced  his  disguise  the  moment  he  set  foot  on 
shore ;  and  dler  this  recognition,  finding  it  vain  to  attempt 
concealment  any  longer,  Bar6  confessed  to  the  captain  that 
she  was  a  woman,  and  told  him  the  tale  of  her  life.  At  an 
early  age  she  became  an  orphan,  and  the  loss  of  a  lawsuit  in- 
volved her  in  such  distress  as  induced  her  to  assume  the 
dress  of  a  man.  She  entered  into  the  family  of  a  Genevese 
gentleman  at  Paris,  and  served  him  as  valet  for  some  time  ; 
when,  anxious  to  make  the  voyage  of  the  world,  she  ofifered 
her  services  to  M.  de  Gommer9on  at  Rochefort,  just  as  he 
was  on  the  point  of  embarking.  "  Je  lui  dois  la  justice," 
says  the  commandant,  **  qu'elle  s'est  toujours  conduite  k  bord 
avec  la  plus  scrupuleuse  sagesse.  EUe  n^est  ni  laide  ni  joUe, 
et  n'a  pas  plus  de  vingt-six  ou  vingt-sept  ans.  II  faut  con- 
venir  que  si  les  deux  vaisscaux  eussent  fait  naufrage  sur  quel- 
que  ile  ddserte  de  ce  vaste  ocSan,  la  chance  eQt  btb  fort  sin- 
gulidre  pour  Bar6."t 

M.  de  Bougainville  lost  sight  of  the  Grand  Cyclades  on  the 
29th  of  May,  and  continued  to  bear  nearly  due  west  till  the 
night  of  the  4th  of  June,  when  the  moon  enabled  him  to  dis- 
cover that  he  was  in  the  vicinity  of  a  low  sandy  coast.  As 
morning  advanced,  he  found  it  to  be  u  small  islet,  nearly  level 
with  the  water ;  he  named  it  La  Bliture  de  Diane.  Next 
day  several  pieces  of  wood  and  some  unknown  fruits  floated 
by  the  slup,  and  on  the  6th  many  shoals  and  rocks  were  per- 
ceived.   These  appearances  induced  him  to  alter  his  course 

^  Scfi  &Y)OVfi  1)  84 

I  Abr«g£  de  G(6ograpbie,  par  Adrien  Balbi,  p.  1S67. 

)  Voyage,  p.  354. 


\ 


LLE. 

that  navi- 
ire  to  the 


name 
bestowed 
ed  a  third 
f  the  first 

yclades,  a 

Thefig- 

of  M.  de 

>f  his  sex, 

"which  he 

[le  Otahei- 

set  foot  on 

to  attempt 

ptain  that 

3.      At  an 

lawsuit  in- 

Bsume  the 

Genevese 

)me  time ; 

le  offered 

ust  as  he 

,  justice," 

ite  k  bord 

ie  ni  joUe, 

faut  con- 

sur  quel- 

fort  sin- 

les  on  the 
St  till  the 
|m  to  dis- 
Wt.     As 

rly  level 

Next 

ts  floated 

/ere  per- 
ls course 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  BOVOAINTILIiE.    191 

to  the  north,  in  which  direction  he  stood  for  three  days  with- 
out seeing  land.  Long  before  dawn,  however,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  10th,  a  delicious  odour  indicated  that  he  was  ap- 
E reaching  a  coast,  and  with  the  increase  of  Ught  he  found 
imself  in  a  large  and  beautiful  gulf,  to  which  he  gave  the 
name  of  Cul-de-sac  de  TOrangerie.  "  I  have  seldom  seen,'* 
says  he,  "  a  country  of  a  fairer  aspect.  A  low  land  checkered 
with  plains  and  groves,  spread  along  the  margin  of  the  sea, 
and  rose  in  an  amphitheatre  to  the  mountains  in  the  interior, 
-whose  heads  were  hid  in  clouds.  But  the  melancholy  condi- 
tion to  which  we  were  brought  did  not  allow  of  onr  visiting 
this  magnificent  coimtry."  He  once  more  altered^  his  course, 
and  steered  to  the  eastward  along  the  shore  of  this  new  land, 
which  he  coasted  until  the  25th,  when,  having  doubled  its 
eastern  point,  which  he  named  Cap  de  la  D^Uvrance,  he  saw 
towards  the  north  an  open  sea,  into  which  he  gladly  entered. 
He  gave  the  name  of  Louisiade  to  this  discovery,  of  which  he 
ascertained  Uttle  more  than  the  existence,  and  which  is  still 
▼eiy  imperfectly  known. 

On  the  28th  land  was  once  more  perceived  in  the  norths 
west,  which,  on  a  closer  approach  next  day,  was  found  toi 
consist  of  two  islands.  The  inhabitants  were  perfectly  Mack ; 
their  hair  was  curled  and  long,  and  stained  of  various  colours, 
white,  yellow,  and  red<;  they  wore  bracelets,  and  small  plate» 
of  a  white  substance  on  the  necks  and  forelieads ;  they  were 
armed  vrith  bows  and  speurs ;  and  their  cries  and  general  de- 
meanour indicated  a  warlike  disposition.  The  boats,  in 
searchinff  for  an  anchorage,  found  a  capacious  bay,  into  which 
a  river  discharged  itself ;  but,  while  engaged  in  examining  it, 
they  were  assailed  by  abmit  150  of  the  natives,  embarked  in 
ten  canoes.  These  savages  fought  with  much  bravery,  but 
were  soon  put  to  flight,  and  two  of  their  skififs  captured.  One 
of  them  had  carved  on  it  the  head  of  a  man,  the  eyes  beinff 
mother  of  pearl,  the  ears  of  tortoise-shell,  and  the  lips  stained 
of  a  very  bright  scarlet ;  the  appearance,  on  the  whole,  was 
that  of  a  mask  with  a  very  long  beard.  The  jaw  of  a  man, 
half  broiled,  was  found  in  one  of  the  canoes.  In  noticing  this 
afiray,  Bougainville  makes  an  observation  which  has  been  am- 
ply verified  by  succeeding  navigators  :  "  We  have  observed 
throughout  this  voyage,  that  the  savages  of  a  black  complex- 
ion are  generally  more  barbarous  than  those  tribes  that  ap- 
proach more  nearly  to  white.**  The  bay  where  this  attack 
took  place,  and  the  land  to  which  it  belonged,  were  naibed 


i 


192  CIRCUMNATIOATION  OF  BOVOAINYILLE. 


?•.      t    I 


\   \ 


\    t- 


^ 


lie  et  Bale  Choiseul,  and  the  island  has  since  been  identified 
as  one  of  the  Solomons  of  Mendana,  the  Arsacides  of  Survilley 
and  the  New  Georgia  of  Shortland. 

He  now  determined  to  seek  a  passage  through  the  channel 
which  seemed  to  divide  the  two  islands,  and  soon  had  the  sat- 
isfaction to  find  that  it  was  a  strait  which  gradually  opened 
as  he  proceeded.  It  was  named  Bougainville's  Straits,  and  a 
current  at  the  southern  entrance  received  the  appellation  of 
Raz  Denis.  On  the  morning  of  the  3d  July  the  Island  of 
Choiseul  was  no  longer  visible,  and  he  stood  ^ong  the  shore 
of  the  western  land  just  called  after  himself,  which  rose  into 
very  high  mountains,  and  was  terminated  towards  the  south- 
west by  a  lofty  promontory,  denominated  Cap  PAverdi.  Land 
was  again  perceived  still  farther  to  the  northwest,  and  distinct- 
ly separated  from  the  cape  just  described  by  a  strait  or  gulf. 
Some  of  the  natives  came  near  the  ship,  and  continued,  to 
cry  out,  "  Bouca  !  Bouca !  Onell^ !"  from  which  the  French- 
man designated  their  island  Bouca.  It  is  believed  to  be  the 
same  with  the  Anson  or  Winchelsea  Island  of  Carteret,  and 
is  remarkable  for  the  density  of  its  population.*  The  Inhab- 
itants had  their  ears  pierced  and  drawn  down ;  and  many 
had  their  hair  stained  red,  and  white  spots  painted  on  differ- 
ent parts  of  their  bodies.  Their  canoes  were  smaller,  and 
of  a  different  construction  from  those  sA  Choiseul.  On  the 
afternoon  of  the  5th  two  diminutive  islands  were  perceived 
towards  the  north  and  northwest ;  and  almost  at  the  same 
moment  a  larger  one  between  northwest  and  west,  which 
also  presented  the  appearance  of  several  good  bays.  He  im- 
mediately shaped  his  course  in  that  direction,  and  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  6th  anchored  in  a  capacious  inlet.  A  few  days 
after,  a  piece  of  a  leaden  plate  was  found,  having  inscribed  on  it 

.      '.        .        .    HOR'DHERE 
ICK  MAJESTY'S 

and  curiosity  having  been  thus  awakened,  a  farther  search  dis- 
covered numerous  and  recent  marks  of  the  visit  of  an  English 
vessel.  In  fact,  Bougainville  was  now  on  the  coast  of  New 
Ireland)  and  the  harbour  in  which  he  was  nK>ored,  and  which 
he  had  called  Port  Praslin,  was  within  two  leaffiies  of  that 
which  Carteret  had  examined,  and  distinguished  by  his  own 
name. 


*  See  above,  p.  173: 


LE. 


CIRCVMNAVIOATION  OF  BOUOAINYILLB.  193 


identified 
f  Sunrille, 

16  channel 
A  the  sat- 
ly  opened 
lits,  and  a 
dilation  of 
Island  of 
the  shore 
I  rose  into 
the  south- 
di.  Land 
d  distinct- 
it  or  gulf, 
itinued.  to 
e  Frepch- 
to  be  the 
rteret,  and 
rhe  fnhab- 
wd  many 
on  differ* 
faller,  and 

On  the 
perceived 
the  same 

,  which 

He  im- 
he  even* 

ew  days 
ibed  on  it 


arch  dis- 
1  English 
of  New 
nd  which 
s  of  that 
r  his  own 


He  remained  here  till  the  84th,  when,  ignorant  of  the  pat- 
siLge  which  had  been  discovered  between  New  Britain  and 
New  Ireland,  he  stood  to  the  north,  and  then  sailed  westward 
alon^  the  coast;  of  the  latter.  He  passed  the  northwestern  ex- 
tremity of  this  Aountn^  in  the  beginning  of  August,  and  on  the 
8th  saw  a  low  flat  island  about  three  leagues  long,  covered 
with  trees.  It  was  called  Anachoret's  or  Hermit's  Isle  ;  and 
a  cluster  of  low  islands,  among  which  they  were  entangled 
the  next  day,  ^received  the  name  of  L'Echiquier  or  the  Chess* 
board.  On  Ijoivitiff  these  they  discovered  the  high  shores  of 
New  Guinea!,  which  they  continued  to  coast  till  the  end  of  the 
month,  wh6n  they  entered  the  group  of  the  Moluccas ;  and 
early  in  September  anchored  at  the  Island  of  Boero,  where  they 
wore  hospitably  received  by  the  Dutch  governor. 

From  this  they  sailed  on  the  7th,  and  in  three  weeks  reached 
Batavia,  **  one  of  the  finest  colonies  in  the  world,-*  says  Bou- 
gainville ;  **  and  where  we  looked  on  each  other  as  having  ter- 
minated our  voyage."  The  native  of  Otaheite  who  accom- 
panied them  perhaps  estimated  that  city  more  justly  when  he 
described  it  as  "  enoua  mate" — (the  land  which  kills).  On  the 
16th  of  October  they  again  set  sail,  and  having  touched  at  the 
Isle  of  France  and  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  reached  the  Isl- 
and of  Ascension  on  the  4th  of  February,  1769.  They  learned 
that  Captain  Carteret  had  departed  hence  only  five  days  before 
their  arrival,  and,  as  has  been  already  mentioned,  they  suc- 
ceeded in  overtaking  him  before  he  reached  Britain.*    On  the 

*  In  the  Memoirs  of  Dr.  Burney  by  his  daughter,  Madame  D'Arblay, 
London,  1839,  3  vole.  8vo,  oceura  this  paasaxe:— •*Tbe  fbllowing  note 
upon  Captaiu  Cook  is  copied  tYom  a  inemorandum>bo(di  of  Or.  Barney's: 
-*•*  In  Feimiary  I  bad  tbe  honour  of  receiving  the  illastrious  Captain 
Cdok  to  dine  with  me  in  Queen  Square,  previously  lo  his  second  voyage 
round  tbe  world.  Observing  upon  a  table  BougainviU^a  Voyage  taiiout 
duMondis  he  tamed  it  over,  and  made  tome  euriout  remarkt  on  tte  it- 
U^al  conduct  of  that  cireumnavigator  towards  kimsf\f  When  they  met 
and  crossed  each  other^  which  mate  me  desirous  to  know,  in  examining 
the  chart  of  M.  de  Uougainville,  tbe  sev<'ral  irarks  of  tbe  two  navigators, 
Stnd  exactly  wbers  they  bad  crossed  or  approached  each  Mber.  Captain 
Cook  instatUly  took  a,^pencil  from  his  poeketbookj  and  said  he  would 
trace  the  route  \  uihich\t  did  in  so  dear  and  scientific  utnanner,  that  I 
wouU  not  take  My  pounds  far  the  book  /'  "—Vol.  i..  p.370,971.  While 
we  adnure  tbe  doctor's  enthusiastic  adoration  or  this  relic  of  Cook,  we 
cannot  help  smiling  at  his  ignorance.  He  must  have  totally  misunder* 
stood  bis'* curious  remarks,'*  elucidated  as  they  were  by  the  pencil* 
sketch.  Cooiir  and  BougeUnvUte  never  "  met  or  nroastd  edeh  other,'*  aa 
the  doctor  might  have  known  if  he  bad  earsflilly  read  tbe  book  on  whieti 
he  put  so  high  a  value.    The  time  dorfng  which  Cook  and  Boagainville 

R 


,.     I 


194  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  BOUGAINTILLEr 

I6th  of  March  the  discoverers  entered  the  port  of  Saint  Malo, 
"  having,'*  says  their  commander,  '*  lost  only  seven  men  du- 
ring the  two  years  and  four  months  which  had  elapsed  since 
we  left  Nantes  :— > 


^  *  Puppilras  St  Iml  naatv  imposvef*  coronas.' " 

The  interest  excited  in  Paris  by  tho  appearance  of  the  Ota* 
heitan  who  had  accompanied  the  voyagers  to  Europe  was  very 
great  ;  and,  says  the  leader  of  the  expedition,  T  spared  neither 
money  nor  trouble  to  render  his  visit  agreeable  and  useful  ta 
him.  The  account  which  has  been  left  of  his  emotions  and 
conduct,  in  a  scene  and  under  circumstances  to  him  so  ex' 
traordinary,  is  unforttonately  very  defective  and  meager.  Mr. 
Forster,  the  translator  of  Bougainville,  tells  us  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  Aotourou  *'  was  one  of  the  most  stupid  fellows  ; 
which  not  only  has  been  found  by  Englishmen  who  saw  him 
at  Paris  during  his  stay  there,  and  whose  testimony  would  be 
decisive  with  the  public  were  I  at  liberty  to  name  them,  but 
the  very  countrymen  of  Aotourou  w6re,  without  exception,  all 
of  the  same  opinion,  that  he  had  very  moderate  parts,  if  any  at 
all."*  The  same  opinion  seems  to  have  been  entertained  by 
many  of  the  Parisians ;  and  though  the  commanding  officer 
combats  it  warmly^  he  has  certainly  failed  to  adduce  any  proof 
of  even  moderate  intelligence  or  capability  in  his  barbarian 
ward.  The  only  s^ht  which  roused  his  curiosity  was  the  op' 
era.  Of  this  we  are  told  he  was  passionately  fond — knew 
well  on  what  days  the  house  was  open — and  went  there  alone,- 
paying  at  the  door  like  any  ordinary  visiter. 

In  March,  1770,  he  left  Paris,  and  embarked  at  Rochelle  on 

were  at  sea  together  extends  flrem  26tb  Aagust,  17A8,  t«  16th  March,  1709. 
At  the  first  of  these  dates  the  former  left  Englandr  and  on  the  same  day 
•he  latter  crossed  the  line  in  the  neighbourhood  of  New  Guinea.  In  Sep- 
tember Cook  was  at  Madeira  and  Bougainville  at  Batavia,  where  he  re- 
nained  till  the  16th  of  October.  On  the  7th  December  the  Englishman 
left  Rift  Janeifo,  and  en  the  12th  the  other  departed  ttom  the  Isle  of 
France.  On  the  I4th  January,  1769.  Cook  entered  Strait  Le  Maire,  and  a 
few  days  after  the  Frenchman  doubled  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  He  ar^ 
lived  in  France  en  the  I6th  of  March,  at  which  time  Cook  was  in  the 
South  Sea.  At  no  time  were  they  much  nearer  one  another  than  half  the 
circumilBrenGe  of  the  globe.  Coolc's  remarks  may  have  applied  to  the 
meeting  o(  Carteret  and  Bougainville  (above,  p.  174) ;  but  the  tale  is  so> 
iiuiorrectly  tcrid,  that  any  ftiriher  comment  were  useloss- 
*  Punter's  Trauslation,  p.  S65,  note. 


4v 


CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  BOUGAINVILLE.  195 


at  Malor 
aen  du- 
Dd  since 


the  Ota- 
was  very 
1  neither 
useful  ta 
ions  and 
1  so  eX' 
er.    Mr. 
innot  be 
fellows ; 
saw  him 
ivould  be 
hem,  but 
ption,  all 
I  if  any  at 
ained  by 
g  officer 
iny  proof 
)arbarian 
the  op' 
1 — knew 
re  alonOf 

:helle  on 

Tch, 17«9r 
same  day 
InSep- 
ire  h«  Te> 
glisbman 
e  Isle  of 
re,  and  a 
Hear^ 
as  in  the 
half  the 
cd  to  the 
ale  is  so 


board  a  vessel  bound  for  the  Isle  of  France,  from  which  the 

foveniment  engaged  to  convey  him  to  his  native  island, 
lougainville  very  liberally  contributed  thirty-six  thousand 
francs  (about  1600/.  sterling),  the  third  part  of  his  fortune,  to- 
wards the  fittii^ff  out  of  this  expedition ;  and  the  Dutchess  of 
Ghoiseul  expended  a  considerable  sum  in  purchasing  cattle, 
tools,  and  seeds,  to  be  taken  out  to  Otaheite.  Aotourou  ar- 
rived in  safety  at  the  Isle  of  France,  which  he  left  on  the  18th 
of  October,  1771,  on  board  the  Mascarin,  commanded  by  M. 
Marion  du  Fresne,  who  had  also  under  his  orders  a  ship  called 
the  Marquis  de  Castries,  conducted  by  M.  du  Clesmeur. 
Marion's  instructions  were  to  convey  Aotourou  (or,  as  he  is 
called  in  the  account  of  this  voyage,  Mayoa)  to  Otaheite ;  then 
to  explore  the  Southern  Pacific  in  search  of  new  lands  ;  and, 
finally,  to  examine  more  closely  the  lately  rediscovered  islands 
of  New  Zealand.  At  the  Island  of  Bourbon  the  Otaheitan 
was  attacked  by  the  smallpox,  of  which  disease  he  died 
shortly  afterward  at  Madagascar.  Marion  then  pursued  his 
voyage  to  the  southeast ;  and,  in  the  course  of  it,  he  discov- 
ered a  few  small  islands,  of  which  the  chief  are  Cavern,  Ma- 
rion, and  Marion  and  Crozet.  On  the  10th  of  February,  1772, 
he  arrived  at  Van  Diemen's  Land  ;  on  the  24th  he  made  Cape 
Egmont,  on  New  Zealand  ;  and  shortly  after  anchored  in  the 
Bay  of  Islands.  The  horrible  massacre  which  took  place 
here,  of  M.  Marion  and  twenty-six  of  his  crew,  is  too  well 
known.  After  that  catastrophe,  the  survivors  steered  for  the 
Islands  of  Rotterdam  and  Amsterdam,  two  of  the  Tonga  or 
Friendly  group,  and,  without  having  made  any  discovery,  vis- 
ited the  Ladrones  and  the  Philippines,  and  then  returned  to 
the  Isle  of  France. 

This  expedition  was  so  closely  connected  with  the  recent 
enterprise  from  the  same  nation,  that  though  a  little  inconsis- 
tent with  strict  chronological  arrangement,  we  have  given  it  a 
flace  here  instead  of  inserting  it  after  the  first  voyage  of  Cook, 
'or  a  similar  reason,  and  to  preserve  uninterrupted  the  narra- 
tive of  the  discoveries  of  our  great  countryman,  we  shall  here 
notice  the  endeavours  of  Surville  and  Shortland,  both  of  which 
bear  an  intimate  relation  to  the  navigations  of  Carteret  and 
Bougainville. 

The  enterprise  of  Surville  had  for  its  object  a  commercial 
speculation,  the  nature  of  which  it  is  not  now  easy  to  develop. 
M.  de  Fleurieu,  to  whom  the  public  are  indebted  for  the  most 


n 


196   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF  fiOUOAINYILLS. 

eomplete  history  of  it,*  has  alluded  to  the  motives  with  a 
haste  and  brevity  which  seem  to  indicate  a  desire  that  some- 
thing should  be  concealed  or  forgotten.  This  may  be  con- 
sidered as  a  partial  corroboration  of  the  account  of  the  Abb^ 
Rochon,t  who  maintains  that  this  officer  was  sent  out  to  dis- 
cover a  new  El  Dorado—a  marvellous  island,  abounding  with 
gold,  and  riches,  and  fine  cloths,  and  inhabited  by  Jews — re- 
ported to  have  been  lately  seen  by  the  English  about  seven 
nundred  leagues  west  from  the  coast  of  Peru.  The  acute 
and  learned  author  of  the  French  discoveries  may  well  be 
supposed  anxious  not  to  promulgate  that  his  countrymen,  in 
the  days  of  Cook,  listened  to  a  tale  better  fitted  for  the  dark 
times  and  heated  ima^nations  of  the  earliest  adventurers ; 
when  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  sailed  in  search  of  the  Fountain 
of  Youth ;  when  golden  regions  were  sought  for  every  day ; 
and  when  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel  were  so  often  found  in  the 
Islands  of  the  Caribbean  Sea,  or  on  the  shores  of  Tierra 
Firm6.  Whatever  was  the  aim  of  Surville,  the  results  of 
his  voyage,  in  a  scientific  point  of  view,  were  most  important. 
If  he  found  not  the  fairy  land  he  souffht,  he  mainly  contribu- 
ted to  restore  to  Europeans  a  knowledge  of  the  Islands  of 
Solomon,  which,  since  their  discovery  by  Mendana  in  1667, 
had  so  often  eluded  the  search  of  the  most  active  navigators, 
that  their  very  existence  had  become  doubtful. 

Having  completed  his  cargo,  he  sailed  from  Pondicherry  on 
the  2d  of  June,  1769,  in  the  Saint  Jean  Baptiste,  a  vessel  of 
seven  hundred  tons,  carrying  twenty-six  twelve-pounders  and 
six  smaller  cannons.  He  directed  his  course  towards  the 
Philippines,  which  he  passed,  and,  holding  northward,  arrived 
in  the  end  of  August  at  the  Bashee  Islands.  On  quitting 
these,  he  steered  towards  the  southeast,  with  the  intention  of 
entering  the  South  Sea  in  the  neighbourhood  of  New  Guinea. 
He  crossed  the  line  on  the  23d  September,  and  on  the  6th 
October  was  in  latitude  4"  38'  south.  Frequent  signs  of  land 
had  been  perceived  for  some  days ;  and  on  the  7th  an  island 
was  seen,  which  was  named  He  de  la  Premiere  Vue,  and  on 
the  succeeding  day  a  country  of  great  extent  presented  itself. 
He  continued  to  sail  along  the  coast  till  the  13th,  when  he 
reached  an  excellent  harbour,  which  he  called  Port  Praslin. 

*  D^couvertes  des  Fron^ais  dans  I«  sud-est  de  la  Nouvelle  Guin^ 
Paris,  ITUO. 
t  Voyages  i  Madagascar  et  aux  Indes  Orieotales.    Paris,  1791, 


LK. 


GIRCUMNAVIOATION   OF  fiOUGAINVILLl.    197 


8  with  a 
At  some- 
be  con- 
;he  AbM 
It  to  dia- 
ling with 
ews — re- 
lut  seven 
he  acute 
'  well  be 
ymen,  in 
the  dark 
mturers ; 
Fountain 
ery  day ; 
id  in  the 
►f  Tierra 
esults  of 
nportant. 
contribu- 
slands  of 
[in  1667, 
vigatorsi 

leny  on 
vessel  of 
ders  and 
ards  the 

arrived 
quitting 
ntion  of 

juinea. 

the  5th 

of  land 
a  island 

and  on 

1  itself. 

hen  he 
Praslin. 

Guin^ 
01. 


Here  he  anchored,  and  remained  nine  days  in  the  expectation 
of  getting  a  supply  of  water  and  refreshments,  of  which  his 
crew,  though  the  vessel  had  been  victualled  for  three  years, 
stood  already  much  in  need.  These  hopes,  however,  were  in 
a  great  degree  baffled  by  the  treachery  and  hostility  of  the 
savages,  which  soon  led  to  a  battle,  in  which  Surville  acted  a 
part  of  questionable  propriety.  Not  contented  with  having 
dispersed  the  natives  by  several  murderous  discharges  of  fire- 
arms, he  formed  the  resolution  of  taking  some  of  them  pris- 
oners ;  and,  in  prosecution  of  this  design,  did  not  hesitate  to 
fire  into  a  canoe,  although  the  people  on  board  seemed  in- 
clined to  peace.  He  killed  one,  and  succeeded  in  securing 
another,  a  lad  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  whom  he  named 
Lova  Sarega,  and  carried  with  him.  Having  procured  a  few 
necessaries  he  left  Port  Praslin  on  the  21st,  designating  the 
country  to  which  it  belonged  Terre  des  Arsacides  or  Assas- 
sins, with  a  view  to  express  the  fierce  character  of  the  inhab- 
itants, who,  in  dress,  arms,  manners,  and  physical  conforma- 
tion, resembled  those  described  by  Bougainville  at  Choiseul 
Island.  The  Land  of  the  Assassins  is,  indeed,  identified  as 
belonging  to  the  great  archipelago  of  the  Solomons,  discovered 
by  Mendana. 

It  was  the  6th  of  November  before  he  cleared  the  southern 
point  of  this  insular  territory,  of  which  the  knowledge  he  ob- 
tained was  very  limited.  The  island  which  he  named  Inat- 
tendue  is  supposed  to  be  the  same  that  Carteret  had  seen, 
and  called  Gower.  On  the  30th  of  October  he  observed 
another,  which  received  the  appellation  of  L'lle  des  Contra- 
riety, and  on  the  3d  of  November  he  descried  three  small 
ones,  culled  by  him  Les  Trois  Soeurs.  His  o^her  discoveries 
were,  a  diminutive  island  named  He  du  Golfe ;  two  called 
lies  de  la  Delivrance ;  and  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
Land  of  the  Arsacides,  on  which  he  bestowed  the  appellation 
of  Cap  Oriental.* 

On  the  7th  he  lost  sight  of  these  shores,  and  directed  his 
course  to  New  Zealand,  where  ho  arrived  on  the  16th  of  De- 
cember, at  the  very  time  that  Cook  was  beating  about  the 

*  It  has  been  proposed  to  call  this  eape  after  its  disooverer,  and  it 
seems  bat  reasonable  that  his  name  should  be  connected  with  some  part 
of  the  archipelago.  Cook,  in  his  Second  Voyage  (3d  edit,  vol.  ii.,  p. 
967),  lUls  into  an  error  in  representing  Surville  to  have  given  "  his  own 
name'*  to  the  land  he  discovered. 

R  2  /    . 


I 


'I 


I 


198   CIRCUMNAVIOATION  OF  BOUOAINVILLC. 

coast.  Close,  however,  as  they  were  to  each  other,  the  voy- 
agers did  not  meet ;  and,  on  the  1st  Januair,  1770,  Surville 
left  the  island.  All  hopes  of  Ending  the  Lbled  land  were  al 
ready  abandoned;  death  and  disease  had  made  sad  havoc 
among  his  crew ;  and  the  only  object  now  entertained  was  to 
reach  some  £urop.?!an  settlement  to  save  the  survivers,  who 
were  hardly  able,  even  wilii  the  assistance  of  the  officers,  to 
hand  the  sails.  In  April  they  arrived  at  Callao ;  and  the  cap- 
tain, anxious  for  an  interview  with  the  Spanish  governor  to 
solicit  the  assistance  he  so  much  needed,  rashly  put  off  in  a 
small  boat  and  perished  in  the  surf. 

Scanty  as  was  the  information  regarding  the  archipelago  of 
the  Solomon  Isles  acquired  by  this  commander  and  his  pre- 
decessors, Carteret  and  Bougainville,  their  eastern  coasts 
had,  nevertheless,  been  delineated  with  some  degree  of  accu- 
racy ;  and  the  voyage  of  Lieutenant  Shortland,  while  guard- 
ing a  fleet  of  transports  from  New  South  Wales  to  England, 
served  to  determine  the  leading  features  of  the  western 
shores.*  This  officer  left  Port  Jackson  on  the  14th  July, 
1788,  and  on  the  Slst,  at  noon,  discovered  land  nearly  in  the 
same  latitude  with  Surville's  Cap  Oriental,  and  bestowed  on 
it  the  appellation  of  Cape  Sidney.  He  contmued  to  sail 
along  tys  coast  till  the  7th  of  August,  giving  names  to  the 
more  prominent  capes  and  bays,  but  obtaining  no  certain  in- 
telligence  of  the  nature  or  extent  of  the  land.  An  interview 
with  the  natives  showed  that  they  agreed  in  all  points  with 
the  description  of  the  French  navigators.  On  quitting  this 
archipelago  he  sailed  through  Bougainville^s  Straits,  ana  con- 
tinuing his  course  to  the  northwest,  visited  the  Pelew  Islands, 
and  arrived  at  Batavia  on  the  19th  of  Novemb  r.  Con- 
ceiving the  lands  he  had  seen  to  be  a  new  discovery,  he  con- 
ferred on  them  the  appellation  of  New  Georgia,  and  bestowed 
on  the  channel  through  which  he  passed  the  name  of  Short- 
land's  Straits.  But  in  no  long  time,  when  Uieir  position  was 
more  minutely  examined,  it  became  evident  that  the  countries 
observed  by  him  belonged  to  the  same  group  with  the  Terre 
des  Arsacides  and  the  Isle  Choiseul.  The  names  imposed 
by  the  English  were  then  dropped ;  the  absurd  title  given 
by  SurviUe  was  ^so  abandoned  ;  and  geographers  now  rec- 

*  A  narrative  of  this  ezpsdition  will  be  (bund  in  "The  Voyafs  of  Gof- 
onor  Philip  to  Botany  Bay.    London,  1780,"  4to,  p.  183-881. 


,  the  voy- 
I,  Surville 
[  weie  al 
lad  havoc 
ed  was  to 
vers,  who 
fiicers,  to 
1  the  cap- 
vemor  to 
t  off  in  a 

pelago  of 
I  his  pre- 
■n  coasts 
of  accu- 
le  guard- 
England, 
western 
Ith  July, 
•ly  in  the 
owed  on 
I  to  sail 
s  to  the 
rtain  in- 
nterview 
Its  with 
ine  this 
ind  con- 
Islands, 
Con- 
he  con- 
estowed 

Short- 
ion  was 
ountries 
e  Terre 
mposed 

given 
ow  rcc- 


I  of  Gov- 


^ 


CIRCDMNAVIOATION   OF   BOUGAINVILLE.    199 

)gnise  this  cluster  by  the  name  of  "The  Solomons,"  be- 
stowed by  its  first  visiter,  Mendana. 


Having  traced  the  progress  of  discovery  in  the  Pacific  Ocean 
during  two  centuries  and  a  half,  it  may  now  be  convenient  to 
pause ;  and,  before  proceeding  to  the  history  of  the  greatest 
navigator  that  ever  sailed  on  its  waters,  survey  what  had  been 
already  accompUshed,  and  what  still  remained  to  be  done. 

Numerous  as  were  the  expeditions  into  the  South  Sea,  by 
far  the  greater  portion  of  it  was  yet  unexplored.     Northward 
of  the  equator  one  track  only  was  followed,  namely,  that  be- 
tween Mexico,  or  New  Spain,  and  the  Philippines,  about  the 
latitude  of  15°  N. ;  and  from  this  line  little  variation  was  made, 
nor  was  there  any  attempt  to  examine  the  unknown  sea  on 
either  side.    The  great  expanse  of  the  Pacific  south  of  the 
line  had  indeed  been  more  extensively  navigated  ;  yet,  with 
one  exception,  the  courses  o(  the  several  voyagers  lay  within 
very  narrow  limits.     The  discoveries  of  Quiros  were  between 
10°  and  25°  of  south  latitude  ;  Schouten's  route  was  nearly 
in  the  parallel  of  15°  S. ;  Roggewein's  was  almost  coincident ; 
and  Mendana*s  never  lay  far  from  10°  S.     The  most  distant 
land  in  that  direction  reached  by  Wallis  was  Whitsunday  Isl- 
and, in  19°  S.  ;  Carteret  attained  a  higher  latitude,  and  saw 
Pitcaim*s  Island,  in  25°  ;  but  the  remotest  discovery  of  By- 
ron was  the  group  of  the  Disappointment  Islands,  in  14°  S. 
To  the  north  of  the  equator,  Carteret  effected  nothing  ;  By- 
ron was  equally  unsuccessful ;  and  the  most  northerly  position 
brought  to  light  by  Wallis,  was  the  island  in  13°  18'  S.,  which 
received  his  own  name.     Bougainville's  range  lay  between 
19°  S.,  the  latitude  of  Les  Quatre  Facardins,  and  5°  S.,  the 
parallel  of  Bouca.     These  were  the  only  voyagers  (with  the 
exception  of  Magellan)  who  followed  new  tracks ;  and  it  will 
be  seen  that  they  confined  themselves  to  the  space  between 
the  line  and  the  twenty-fifth  degree  of  south  latitude. 

The  many  other  navigators  whose  exploits  are  recounted  in 
these  pages,  more  intent  on  the  acquisition  of  Spanish  gold 
than  on  the  search  for  unknown  regions,  almost  invariably 
pursued  one  common  and  well-frequented  path.  On  entering 
the  Pacific,  they  stood  for  Juan  Fernandez,  in  order  to  recover 
their  health,  or  replace  their  stores;  they  then  coasted  the 
American  continent  to  California ;  after  which,  they  either 


/  I 
V 


! 


eoo 


RETROSPECT. 


Retraced  their  way  to  the  Atlantic  by  Cape  Horn  or  the  Straiti , 
or  more  usually  crossed  the  South  Sea  in  the  track  of  the  Ma- 
nilla galleon.  Such  was  the  route  of  Drake,  Cavendish,  Van 
Noort,  Spilbergen,  the  Nassau  Fleet,  the  English  bucaniers, 
Bampier,  Rogers,  Chpperton,  Shelvocke,  and  Anson. 

The  only  adventurer  into  a  high  southern  latitude  was 
Tasman.  Entering  the  Pacific  from  the  Indian  Ocean,  he  ad- 
vanced to  about  44°  and  discovered  Van  Diemen*s  Land. 
Thence,  pursuing  nearly  the  same  parallel,  he  stood  eastward 
till  he  encountered  New  Zealand,  and,  sailing  along  its  west- 
em  shores,  bore  northward  till  he  got  into  the  track  of  Schou- 
ten ;  having  discovered  in  his  passage  the  Tonga  Islands,  on 
the  confines  of  the  tropic. 

From  this  recapitulation,  it  will  be  seen,  that  of  the  South- 
em  Pacific  there  remained  altogether  unknown  the  great  space 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  twenty-tifth  parallel  of  latitude, 
and  by  the  meridians  of  long.  86°  W.  and  170°  E.  No  ves- 
sel had  yet  attempted  to  traverse  this  wide  extent,  and,  conse- 
quently, with  respect  to  it  there  prevailed  the  utmost  uncer- 
tainty and  ignorance.  A  learned  geographer  writes  in  1771, 
"  So  far  as  to  absolute  experience,  we  continue  ignorant  whe- 
ther the  southern  hemisphere  be  an  immense  mass  of  water, 
or  whether  it  contains  another  continent  and  countries  worthy 
of  our  search."*  The  portion  of  the  Northem  Pacific  which 
remained  unexplored  was,  perhaps,  still  more  extensive. 

Such  were  the  mighty  tracts  concerning  which  nothing  had 
been  ascertained.  There  were,  besides,  several  spacious  re- 
gions, of  which  certain  navigators  had  indeed  announced  the 
existence,  but  who  stopped  short  before  the  extent  was  brought 
to  light.  Of  New  Holland,  only  the  western  side  was  known ; 
the  northem  limit  (the  strait  discovered  by  Torres  in  1606)  had 
passed  into  oblivion,  and  this  great  country  was  generally  rep- 
resented as  joining  New  Guinea ;  on  the  south,  there  was 
no  certainty  whether  it  extended  to  Van  Diemen's  Land,  or 
where  its  termination  should  be  fixed  ;  to  the  east,  it  was  in- 
volved in  utter  darkness ;  one  point  only  was  clear,  that  it 
did  not  stretch  beyond  long.  170°,  being  nearly  the  meridian 
of  Tasman's  track.  The  limits  of  New  Zealand  were  still 
more  indefinite.     Only  its  western  shores  had  been  visited, 


ei 
ei 

S 

or 
fir 

flo 


*  Dalrymple,  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  it.— "  Investigation  of  what  may  be  tw- 
Hmt  expected  in  the  Soath  Bea,"  p.  19. 


RETROSPECT. 


201 


e  Straiti, 
ftheMa- 
lish,  Van 
lucaniers, 
t. 

tude  was 
in,  he  ad- 
1*8  Land, 
eastward 
its  west- 
of  Schou- 
ilands,  on 

tie  South- 
reat  space 
'  latitude, 
No  ves- 
id,  conse- 
)st  uncer- 
I  in  1771, 
rant  whe- 
of  water, 
js  worthy 
[fie  which 


«nd,  for  all  that  was  then  known,  it  might  have  extended  east- 
ward to  within  15°  of  Chili.  Mr.  DaLrymple  remarks,  that  it 
is  "  still  a  question  if  Staats'  Land,  or  New  Zealand,  be  part 
of  a  continent  or  only  islands  ;  though  it  is  most  probably  the 
former,  as  Tasman  supposes  it  to  be.'* 

In  short,  the  great  problem  of  geography,  the  existence  of  a 
vast  Southern  Continent,  was  still  unsolved.  The  discov- 
eries of  succeeding  years  had  no  doubt  much  circumscribed 
the  bounds  assigned  to  it  in  the  sixteenth  century  ;  yet  within 
the  unvisited  bosom  of  the  Pacific  there  still  remained  ample 
space  for  a  country  exceeding  Europe  in  dimensions,  and  sur- 
passing, even  in  its  most  high  and  palmy  state,  the  widest 
empire  ever  seen  in  either  hemisphere.  Noir  with  the  believ- 
ers in  this  land  was  its  extent  its  only  merit.  Its  fancied 
splendour  and  fertility  were  to  cast  into  the  shade  all  that  had 
been  told  of  Mexico  or  Peru  ;  for  here  was  to  be  found  the 
original  fountain  of  their  civilization,  the  parent-country  of  the 
first  Inca!    And  to  the  nation  that  should  discover  it  was 

Promised  an  accession  of  wealth  and  power  greater  than  had 
owed  to  Spain  from  the  conquests  of  Cortes  and  Pizarro. 


>'.     ,     H.t.  .- 


•'■V- 


i 


1 


Lybefyl^ 


■'   '.f 


202 


LIFE   OP   COOK 


'  i 


y 


K 


V 


COOK. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 


Life  of  Cook  previous  to  his  First  Voyage.  /, 

Birth  and  Parentage  of  Cook.— His  Education.— His  IndentnFM  with  a 
Draper.— Apprenticeship  on  board  a  Collier.— Volunteers  into  the  Navy. 
—Appointed  Master  of  the  Mercnry.— His  Services  at  Quebec.— Hair* 
ttreadth  Escape.— He  first  studies  Euclid.— His  Marriage.— Made  Ma> 
rine  Surveyor  of  Newfoundland  and  Labrador.— Communicates  an  Ob- 
servation oTan  Eclipse  to  the  Royal  Society.— History  of  the  Transits 
of  Venus.— Predicted  in  1620  by  Kepler.— Discovery  and  Observation 
of  Horrox.— First  Appreciation  of  its  U8e8.—Profes8or  James  Gregory. 
—Dr.  Edmund  Halley.— His  Exhortation  to  Aiture  Astronomers. — 
Transit  of  1761.— Preparations  for  that  of  1760.— Proposal  to  send  a 
Ship  with  Observers  to  the  South  Sea.— Cuok  promoted  to  the  Rank  of 
Lieutenant,  and  appointed  to  conduct  it.— His  Choice  of  a  Vessel.— Sir 
Joseph  Banks  determines  to  join  the  Expedition.— Preparations  and  In- 
structions for  the  Voyage. 

James  Cook  was  the  son  of  humble  parents.  His  father, 
also  named  James,  and  supposed,  from  his  dialect,  to  be  a  Nor- 
thumbrian, was  a  labourer  or  farm-servant,  and  his  mother 
was  of  the  same  rank.  Both  of  them  were  highly  esteemed 
by  their  neighbours  for  their  integrity,  temperance,  and  indus- 
try. They  appear  to  have  resided,  first  at  the  village  of  Mor- 
ton, in  the  North  Riding  of  Yorkshire  ;  afterward  at  Marton 
in  Cleveland,  a  small  place  in  the  same  county,  situated  be- 
tween Gisborough  and  Stockton-upon-Tees.  Here,  in  a  mud- 
cottage,  every  vcfetige  of  which  has  long  been  swept  away, 
the  subject  of  this  memoir  was  bom  on  uie  27th  of  October, 
1728.  He  was  one  of  nine  children,  none  of  whom  survived 
their  parents,  excepting  himself  and  a  daughter,  of  whose  his- 
tory nothing  is  recorded  but  that  she  was  married  to  a  fisher- 
man at  Redcar,  and  that  her  home  became  the  abode  .of  her 
father  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  which  was  extended  to  the 
long  term  of  nearly  eighty-five  years. 

Cook  was  taught  his  letters  by  the  village  schoolmistress, 
Dame  Walker.     When  he  was  eight  years  old,  his  father  was 


U- 


nn»  with  a 
totbeNavy. 
ebec.— HaiN 
-Made  Ma- 
Bates  an  Ob- 
ibe  Transits 
Observation 
les  Gregory, 
ronomers. — 
il  to  send  a 
the  Rank  or 
Vessel.— Sir 
ons  and  In- 


is  father, 
be  a  Nor- 

mother 
esteemed 
id  indus- 

of  Mor- 
t  Marton 
lated  be- 
ll a  mud- 
pt  away, 
October, 
survived 
tose  his- 
a  fisher- 
B  .of  her 
d  to  the 

distress, 
her  was 


PREVIOUS  TO   HIS   FIRST   VOTAGE.       203 

appointed  hind,  head  servant,  or  bailiff,  on  the  farm  of  Airy 
Hohne,  the  property  of  Thomas  Scottowe,  Esq.,  near  Great 
Ayton,  at  the  foot  of  Roseberry  Topping ;  and  in  the  school  of 
this  place,  at  the  expense  of  his  father's  employer,  he  learned 
writing  and  the  rules  of  arithmetic. 

At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  was  apprenticed  to  a  draper,  in  the 
fishing-town  of  Staiths,  about  ten  miles  north  of  Whitby ;  but 
this  employment  little  accorded  with  the  bent  of  his  disposi' 
tion,  which  now  developed  itself  in  a  strong  passion  for  the 
sea.  A  quarrel  having  occurred  between  him  and  his  master, 
his  indentures  were  given  up,  and  he  bound  himself  for  seven 
years  to  Messrs.  John  and  Henry  Walker,  owners  of  two  ves- 
sels in  the  coal-trade.  These  worthy  Quakers  early  apprecia^ 
ted  his  good  conduct  and  great  anxiety  to  acquire  skill  in  hi» 
profession ;  and  after  he  had  served  on  board  the  Freelove, 
and  for  a  short  time  in  another  ship,  they  promoted  him  to  be 
mate  of  the  Three  Brothers.  Promises  were  m^de  to  him  of 
further  preferment ;  but  to  these,  as  his  thoughts  were  already 
fumed  to  a  loftier  sphere,  he  seems  to  have  given  little  heed. 
Mr.  John  Walker,  one  of  his  employers,  remariied,  that  **  he 
had  always  an  ambition  to  go  inta  the  navy."*  It  was  not 
observed  by  those  who  knew  him  at  this  period,  that  he  was 
anywise  distinguished  for  talent ;  but  no  one  can  doub|  that 
his  active  miira  was  then  laying;  the  foundations  of  future  em^ 
inence,  or  that  much  of  the  skill*  in  practical  navigation  whicb 
he  afterward  displayed  was  acquired  in  that  admirable  nurseiy 
of  seamen— -the  coasting-^ade. 

Early  in  1755,  on  the  commencement  of  hostilities  with 
France,  there  was  an  active  impressment  in  the  Thames. 
Cook,  then  in  his  twenty-seventh  year,  happened  to  be  in  a 
vessel  on  the  river,  and  was  at  first  desirous  to  conceal  him- 
self;  but,  after  some  hesitation,  he  resolved  to  go  into  the  ser- 
vice, and  proceeded  to  Wapping,  where  he  entered  as  a  vol- 
unteer on  board  the  Ea^e  of  sixty  guns.  Captain  Hamer; 
Shortly  afterward.  Captain  Hugh  Palliser  succeeded  that  offi- 
cer ;  and  quickly  discerning  the  young  man's  superior  sea- 
manship, afforded  him  every  encouragement,  rated  him  quar- 
ter-master, and  from  that  time  continued  te  be  his  steady  pa^ 

*  Memoir  of  Cook,  by  Edward  Ilawke  Locker,  Esq.,  in  the  "  Gallery 
•f  Greenwich  Hospital"  (London,  1831).  part  i.  With  the  amiable  Qua- 
kers, his  first  IVIenda,  Cook  "maintained  a  correBpondeace  to  the  last 
jsar  ^ bis  existence."  ,, ..   . 


J  ■•-  -in  V  -wwi'^  X''  '■' 


'  /' 


fi04 


■^  v.- 


LIFE  OP  COOK   il'or^r  ^t 


\n 


■'n 

I  Si 


if. 
■  '  V 

.hi 


1% 


M 


tron.  Letters  in  his  favour  from  friends  in  Yorkshire — among 
whom  was  Mr.  Osbaldeston,  the  parliamentary  representative 
of  Scarborough — arrived  in  the  course  of  a  few  months,  and 
his  commander  obtained  for  him  a  warrant  as  master  of  the 
Mercury  frigate,  dated  the  15th  of  May,  1759.  In  allusion  to 
similar  commissions  for  the  Grampus  and  the  Garland,  both 
rendered  abortive  by  unforeseen  circumstances,  Dr.  Kippis  re' 
marks,  "  These  quick  and  successive  appointments  show  that 
his  interest  was  strong,  and  that  the  intention  to  serve  him 
was  real  and  effectual."* 

The  Mercury  received  orders  to  join  the  fleet,  which,  under 
Sir  Charles  Saunders,  was  in  co-operation  with  General 
Wolfe,  at  that  time  engaged  in  the  siege  of  Quebec.  A  com« 
bined  attack  on  the  fortified  position  at  Montmorency  and 
Beauport  had  been  concerted ;  but  it  was  necessary,  in  the 
first  place,  to  procure  accurate  soundings  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
between  L*Ile  d'Orleans  and  the  shore  on  which  the  French 
army  lay.  This,  a  service  of  great  danger,  which  could  only 
be  performed  during  the  night,  was,  on  the  recommendation 
of  Captain  Palliser,  intrusted  to  Cook,  who  discharged  it  in 
the  most  complete  manner.  He  had  scarcely  achieved  his 
task  when  he  was  discovered  by  the  enemy,  who  launched  a 
number  of  canoes  filled  with  Indians  to  surroimd  and  cut  him 
off.  He  instantly  made  for  the  British  encampment,  but  was 
so  closely  pursued  that  the  savages  entered  the  stem  of  his 
barge  as  he  leaped  from  the  bow  under  the  protection  of  the  Eng« 
lish  sentinels.  The  boat  was  carried  off  in  triumph ;  but 
Cook  was  able,  in  the  words  of  one  of  his  biographers,  "  to 
furnish  the  admiral  with  as  correct  a  draught  of  the  channel 
and  soundings  as  could  have  been  made  after  our  countrymen 
were  in  possession  of  Quebec."  There  was  reason  to  suppose 
that  before  this  period  he  was  entirely  ignorant  of  drawing, 
having  seldom  or  never  handled  a  pencil ;  and  if  this  conjec- 
ture be  well  founded,  it  affords  a  striking  proof  of  his  capacity 
and  perseverance.  Not  long  afterward  he  was  employed  to 
make  a  survey  of  the  whole  river  below  Quebec  ;  and  his 
chart  was  executed  with  such  skill  and  exactness  that  it  was 
immediately  published  by  orders  of  the  Admiralty,  t 

*  Biofrraphia  Britannica  (2d  edition),  vol.  iv.,  p.  101. 

t  Besides  these  imitortam  duties,  if  we  could  tru^t  the  companion  of  hlr 
last  voyage,  Cook  was  employed  in  others  of  still  greater  cohsequenc* 
"At  the  siege  of  Quebec/ it  is  said,  *'Sir  Charles  Saunders  totnmMitt 


PREVIOUS  TO   BIS   FIRST  T0TA6E.        205 


—among 
sentative 
iths,  and 
er  of  the 
lusion  to 
ind,  both 
Lippis  ro' 
how  that 
erve  him 

ch,  under 
General 
A  com- 
;ncy  and 
y,  in  the 
awrence, 
e  French 
)uld  only 
lendation 
'ged  it  in 

E-jved  his 
nched  a 
cut  him 
but  was 
m  of  his 
the  Eng- 
ph;  but 
ers,  "to 
channel 
ntrymen 
suppose 
Irawing, 
conjee- 
capacity 
oyed  to 
and  his 
it  waf 


|ionofhl» 
equenet 
DininlUM 


His  meifits  now  began  to  attract  general  attention,  and,  on 
the  22d  of  September,  1759,  Lord  Colville  appointed  him 
master  of  his  pwn  ship,  the  Northumberland,  in  which  he  re- 
mained on  the  HaUfax  station  during  the  winter.  He  must 
have  long  felt  the  dijfficulties  under  which  he  laboured  from 
his  defective  education ;  and  we  leam  that  he  now  took  ad- 
vantage of  a  little  leisure,  afforded  by  the  season,  to  instruct 
himself  in  the  branches  of  science  most  necessary  to  his  pro- 
fession. '*  It  was  here,  as  I  have  often  heard  him  say,"  writes 
Captain  King,  "  that,  during  a  hard  winter,  he  tirst  read  Eu^ 
did,  and  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  mathematics  and  as- 
tronomy, without  any  other  assistance  than  what  a  few  books 
and  his  own  industry  afforded  him."*  He  accompanied  his 
lordship  to  Newfoundland  in  September  following ;  aided  in 
its  recapture  from  the  French  ;  and  by  the  diligence  which  he 
exhibited  in  surveying  the  harbour  and  heights  of  Placentia, 
secured  the  favourable  notice  of  the  governor  of  the  island. 

He  returned  to  England  about  the  close  of  the  year ;  and, 
on  the  2l8t  December,  1762,  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Batts, 
at  Barking  in  Essex — a  woman  of  an  amiable  and  generous 
disposition,  from  whose  society,  however,  he  was  quickly 
Qalied  away.f 

to  his  charge  the  execution  of  services  of  the  first  importance  in  the  naval 
department.  He  piloted  the  boats  to  the  attack  of  Montmorency  ;  con- 
ducted theembarcation  to  the  heights  of  Abruham;  examined  the  pas- 
sage and  laid  buoys  for  the  security  of  the  large  ships  in  piticeeding  up 
the  riv.r."— Voyage  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  f«ir  making  Uiscoveriea  in  the 
Northfrn  Heinixphere  ('Jd  edition,  Lon  on,  1785),  vol.  iii.,  p.  47.  For 
this  statement  no  oth<^r  authority  has  been  observed  than  that  of  Captain 
King,  whose  sketch  of  Cook'd  life  is  meager  and  defective  No  allusion 
is  made  to  it  in  the  minute  narrHtive  of  Doctor  Kippis ;  and,  as  he  wrote 
from  the  information  of  Sir  Huvh  Palliser  and  other  fl-iendsof  our  naviga- 
tor, his  silence  must  be  regarded  as  ronulusive.  The  passage,  indeed,  ap- 
pears to  be  a  vague  exaggeration  of  the  real  services  of  Cook,  to  which, 
it  should  be  noted,  there  is  no  other  reference  made  by  t 'aptam  King. 

*  Voyage  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  vol.  iii.,  p.  47.  Captain  King  places 
this  event  under  the  year  1785 ;  but,  as  he  mentioned  that  Cook  was  at 
that  lime  master  of  the  Northumberland,  the  date  of  his  appointment  to 
that  vesael  shows  that  it  must  have  been  in  the  succeedinc  winter.  At 
the  time  when  the  fluure  discoverer  thus  began  his  second  education  he 
was  in  his  thirty-flrst  year. 

t  An  absurd  story  is  told  by  some  of  the  biographers  of  Cook,  that  he 
"  was  gudf  ither  to  his  wife ;  and  at  the  very  time  she  was  christened, 
had  determined,  if  she  grew  ui>,on  the  union  which  aUei  ward  took  place 
between  them."  This  tale,  as  we  were  assured  by  the  late  Mr.  Isaac 
Cragg'Smith,  a  relative  of  Mrs.  Cook,  is  without  the  slightest  fbundatlon; 
the  two  families  were  at  the  time  unacquainted— the  one  residing  in  the 

S  /    » 


I 


206 


LIFE   OF   COOK 


In  the  beginning  of  1763  Captain  Graves,  who,  during^ 
Cook's  visit,  had  been  governor  of  Newfoundland,  was  again 
appointed  to  that  office ;  and  being  desirous  to  procure  accu- 
rate surveys  of  the  colony,  he  made  proposals  to  our  naviga- 
tor, which  were  willingly  accepted.     Towards  the  close  of 
the  year  he  returned  home ;  but  his  stay  on  tliis  occasion  was 
as  short  as  on  the  former,  for  his  old  friend.  Sir  Hugh  Palliser,  ■ 
being  selected  to  superintend  that  settlement,  and  Cook  hav- 
ing agreed  to  resume  his  situation,  he  was,  on  the  18th  of 
April,  1764,  nominated  marine  surveyor.     In  the  discharge  of 
this  duty  he  continued  four  years,  occasionally  returning  to 
England,  and  spending  the  winter  there.     The  manner  in  which 
he  executed  his  commission  called  forth  the  highest  approba^ 
tion.     He  explored  the  interior  of  the  country  more  fully  than 
had  been  hitherto  done,  making  several  valuable  additions  to 
geography ;  and  the  charts  which  he  afterward  published  were 
distinguished  by  unusual  correctness.     During  this  period  also, 
he  furnished  evidence  of  his  success  in  the  study  of  practical 
astronomy,  by  "  An  Observation  of  an  Eclipse  of  the  Sun  at 
the  Island  of  Newfoundland,  August  5, 1766,  with  the  longi-r 
tude  of  the  plcuie  of  observation  deduced  from  it,"  commu' 
nicated  to  the  Royal  Society  by  Dr.  J.  Bevis,  and  read  30th 
April,  1767.     It  occupies  only  two  pages  in  the  Transactions^ 
and  is  evidently  a  report  drawn  up  by  the  doctor — Cook  hav' 
ing  probably  been  in  England  when  he  imparted  his  notes  ta 
that  gentleman.     This  is  consistent  with  the  remark  of  Dr^ 
Kippis,  who  speaks  of  the  year  1767  as  "  the  last  time  that 
he  went  out  upon  his  station  of  marine  surveyor  of  New 
foundland."* 

suburbs  or tbe  metropolis,  the  other  in  Torluhire,  where  Cook,  then  onljf 
thirteen  years  old,  was  serving  his  apprenticeship. 

*  In  Watt's  Bibliotheca  Britaniiica,  in  Chalmera'  Biographical  Diction* 
ary,  and  in  some  other  memoirs  of  Cook,  there  is  attributed  to  him  an 
octavo  pamphlet,  which  was  pubiiehed  in  the  year  i759,  under  the  titleF 
of  "  Remarks  on  a  Passage  from  the  River  Balise,  in  the  Bay  of  HondU' 
ras,  to  Merida,  the  Capital  of  the  Province  of  Yucatan,  in  the  Spanish 
West  Indies,  by  Lieutenant  Cook."  This  journey  he  is  said  to  have  per' 
formed  in  1765,  with  despatches  flrom  the  admiral  en  the  Jamaica  station 
to  the  Governor  of  Yucatan,  relative  to  the  logwood  cutters  in  the  Bay 
of  Honduras.  But  at  that  time,  as  has  been  stated,  he  was  engaged  in 
his  survey  of  Newfoundland ;  and  in  1769,  when  the  tract  appeared,  her 
was  in  the  South  Sea.  In  reply  to  inquiries  made  in  regard  to  this  pani* 
phlet,  Mr.  Isaac  Cragg-Bmith,  after  consulting  with  Mra.  Cook,  assured 
US  she  was  entirely  ignorant  of  it,  and  that  her  knsbaad  lutdnsvar  boea 
in  the  Bay  of  Hondiuras. 


,  e 


0,  during 
vdM  again 
lire  accu- 
r  naviga- 

close  of 
ision  was 

Palliser, 
iook  hav- 

18th  of 
charge  of 
iming  to 
■  in  which 
approba' 
uUy  than 
litions  to 
hed  were 
riod  alsO) 
practical 
e  Sun  at 
he  longi' 
commu' 
ead  SOtb 
sactionsf 
ook  hav 
notes  to 
k  of  Dr, 
ime  thai 
of  New 


then  only 

1  Diction* 
tobim  an 
r  tbe  titler 
r  Hondu- 

Spanish 
lave  por« 
ia  station 

the  Bay 
igaged  in 
wred,  her 
his  piauai* 
,  assured 
Tsrboen 


PREVIOUS  TO   HIS   FIRST  VOYAGE.         207 

At  this  period  the  attention  of  men  of  science  in  all  parts 
of  the  world  was  eagerly  turned  to  an  important  astronomical 
phenomenon,  the  observation  of  which  must  be  considered  as 
a  leading  event  in  the  life  of  Captain  Cook,  as  it  gave  a  new 
direction  and  a  higher  object  to  his  genius. 

This  was  the  passage  of  Venus  across  the  sun.  The  tran- 
sits of  the  planets  were  little  regarded  until  Kepler,  in  a  work 
.  published  at  Leipsic  in  1629,  aroused  the  curiosity  of  astron- 
omers, by  predicting  that  the  solar  disk  would  appear  to  be 
traversed  by  Mercury  in  1631,  and  by  Venus  in  the  same  year, 
and  a  second  time  in  1761.  Before  any  part  of  this  announce- 
ment could  be  verified,  its  illustrious  author  died  (in  Novem- 
ber, 1630) ;  but  the  transit  of  Mercury  was  observed  by  Gas- 
sendi  at  Paris  within  a  day  of  the  time  foretold  ;*  that  of 
Venus,  .unfortunately,  was  not  visible  to  him,  having  taken 

Elace  while  the  sun  was  under  the  horizon.  This  he  must 
ave  lamented  the  more,  as  Kepler  had  predicted  that  a  cen- 
tury would  pass  before  the  recurrence  of  a  similar  phenome- 
non. But  a  young  English  astronomer,  Jeremiah  Hbrroz, 
having  been  led  to  turn  his  thoughts  towards  the  subject,  dis- 
covered, that  on  the  4th  December,  1639,  Venus  would  again 
Eass  across  the  sun.  This  information  he  communicated  to 
is  correspondent,  William  Crabtree ;  and,  on  the  day  men- 
tioned, these  two  friends — the  one  near  Liverpool,  the  other 
at  Manchester — beheld  a  spectacle,  of  which,  among  all  the 
learned  men  in  Europe,  they  were  the  only  witnesses.  Hor- 
rox  wrote  an  account  of  his  observations,  but  dying  within  a 
few  days  after  (on  3d  January,  1640),  more  than  twenty  years 
elapsed  before  his  work  was  published. f 

As  yet,  however,  no  one  had  clearly  discerned  the  uses  to 
which  this  phenomenon  has  since  been  applied  in  the  discov- 
ery of  one  of  the  most  important  truths  in  the  range  of  science. 
By  observations  made  at  distant  points  on  the  globe,  the  as- 
tronomer obtains  the  means  of  determining  the  Sun*3  Paral- 
lax, or  the  angle  which  the  earth's  semidiameter  subtends 
fit  the  sun,  by  means  of  which  he  can  ascertain  the  distance  of 

*  The  phenomenon  was  seen  by  several  sfltronomera ;  but  Gassendl 
was  the  only  one  who  published  an  acconnt  of  his  observations  in  a  tract 
entitled  "De  Mercuriu  in  Sole  Visoet  Venere  Inviso,  Parisiis,  1031,  pro- 
admonitlone  Kepleri,  &c.    Par.,  1633.  410." 

t  It  was  entitled, "  Venus  in  Sole  Visa,  anno  1639,"  and  first  appeared 
Jn  the  *>  Mercoriua  in  Sole  Visas"  of  Hevelius,  pablished  at  Dantxie  in 
1662.    ' 


208 


LIFE   OF   COOK 


the  one  body  from  the  other.  The  honour  of  first  pointing  out 
this  important  apphcation  has  been  commonly  ascribed  to 
Edmund  Halley,  though  it  is  certain  that  he  was  anticipated 
by  one  whose  name  is  no  less  distinguished — James  Gregory, 
the  inventor  of  the  Reflecting  Telescope,  and  the  first  Professor 
of  Mathematics  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh.  So  early  as 
1063,  this  eminent  mathematician,  then  about  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  proposed  and  solved  the  question — **  From  the 
apparent  conjunction  of  two  planets  to  find  out  their  paral- 
laxes ;"  to  which  he  annexed  the  scholium : — **  This  prob- 
lem, though  attended  with  considerable  labour,  may  be  produc- 
tive of  the  most  admirable  advantages,  by  observing  the  passage 
of  Venus  or  Mercury  over  the  solar  disk^or  thereby  the  Par- 
allax of  the  Sun  may  be  discovered."*  This  passage  demon- 
strates that  its  author  was  fully  aware  of  the  benefits  to  be  de- 
rived from  this  rare  occurrence,  and  that  Halley  was  not  the 
first  to  appreciate  them.  Still,  to  that  philosopher  is  due  the 
merit  of  satisfactorily  elucidating  the  theory  of  transits,  of  di- 
recting attention  towards  them,  and  impressing  upon  astrono- 
mers the  vast  importance  of  the  results  to  be  obtained  from  a 
careful  observation.  His  thoughts  were  called  to  the  sub- 
ject in  the  year  1767,  during  his  residence  at  St.  Helena  for 
the  purpose  of  examining  the  stars  in  the  southern  hemi- 
sphere. There  happened  at  that  period  a  transit  of  Mercury, 
"which  he  observed  with  the  utmost  care.  Contrary  to  his 
expectation,  he  was  enabled  to  fix  the  very  instant  in  which 
the  planet,  entering  the  sun's  limb,  seemed  to  touch  it  inter- 
nally, as  also  that  in  which  it  went  off.  He  thus  ascertained 
the  amount  of  time  occupied  by  the  passage  of  Mercury  over 
the  sun*s  disk,  "  without  an  error  of  a  single  second  ;"  for,  as 
he  informs  us,  "  the  thread  of  solar  light  intercepted  between 
the  obscure  limb  of  the  planet  and  the  bright  limb  of  the  sun, 

*  "ProUema.— Exduorum  Planetarumconjnnctionecoriwrali  utrinsque 
planetflB  Parallaxes  investigare.  Scholium.— Hoc  Problfnia  pulcherri- 
mum  habet  UHUm,  sed  foraan  labnriosum,  in  obB«rvaUonibus  Veiierii.  vel 
Mercurii  iiarticulam  Solisobuciraniis :  ex  talibus  eniin  Solis  |iarallaxis 
investigmi  [went.''*— Optica  Promota.  Aufhoi  e  Jaeobo  Oregorio,  Abre* 
dotienai  Seoto  Lond.  16A3,  p.  138-130.  The  claim  of  Gregory  to  this 
Iniponaat  luggeatimi  was  ttrst  vindicated  by  the  eentleman  who  now  so 
•biy  Alls  the  same  aciidemical  chair,  Proretisor  Wallace  (ArcMBologia 
Scotica.  vol.  iii ,  p.  283).  Bui  several  yearsprevious  t**  this  he  obaervet, 
**  I  mentioned  this  passage  to  the  laie  Dr.  Huiton,  and  he  very  properly 
n<»ticed  It  in  the  Life  of  Gregory,  contained  in  the  second  edition  of  hUi 
Dlctiooary."  (Lood.,  1815,  vol.  i.,  p.  601, 602.) 


inting  out 
icribed  to 
nticipated 
Gregory, 
Professor 
>  early  as 
enty-four 
Prom  the 
eir  paral- 
his  prob- 
c  produc- 
e  passage 
the  Par- 
B  demon- 
to  be  de- 
B  not  the 
s  due  the 
its,  of  di- 
I  astrono- 
Bd  from  a 
the  sub- 
lelena  for 
ki  hemi- 
^ercury, 

to  his 
n  which 
it  inter- 
ertained 
ury  over 

for,  as 
)etween 
the  sun, 

itrinsque 
lulcherri- 
iierii.  vel 
arallaxi* 
in,  Abre* 
to  this 
0  now  so 
iisologia 
)bsenref, 
properif 
in  of  hip 


PREVIOUS   TO   HIS    FIRST  VOYAGE.       209 

though  exceedingly  slender,  affected  the  sight ;  and,  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  both  the  indenture  made  on  the  sun's 
limb  by  Mercury  entering  into  it  vanished,  and  that  made  by 
going  off  appeared."  He  instantly  perceived  that,  by  such 
observations,  the  sun's  parallax  might  be  duly  determined, 
provided  Mercury  were  nearer  to  the  earth,  and  had  a  greater 
parallax  when  seen  from  the  sun.  But  this  planet,  though  it 
frequently  traverses  the  solar  disk,  was,  he  saw,  not  very  suit- 
able for  the  purpose ;  because  the  difference  between  its  par- 
allax and  that  of  the  sun  is  always  less  than  the  latter,  which 
is  the  object  of  the  inquiry.  There  remained,  however,  the 
transit  of  Venus — a  much  rarer  phenomenon,  indeed,  but 
peculiarly  aopropriate ;  because  the  parallax  of  that  planet, 
being  almosc  four  times  as  great  as  that  of  the  sun,  occasions 
very  sensible  differences  between  the  times  in  which  she 
seems  to  be  passing  over  the  solar  disk  at  different  parts  of 
the  earth.  From  due  observations  of  these,  he  inferred  that 
the  sun's  parallax  might  be  determined  with  extreme  accu- 
racy, and  without  any  other  instruments  than  good  clocks  and 
telescopes ;  while,  on  the  part  of  the  observers,  there  were 
only  required  diligence,  fidelity,  and  a  moderate  skill  in  as- 
tronomy. The  parallax  of  Venus  behig  once  ascertained,  that 
of  the  sun  and  thence  the  earth's  distance  from  the  sun  may 
be  found.  And  by  Kepler's  third  law  (that  the  squares  of  the 
periodical  times  arc  proportional  to  the  cubes  of  their  mean 
distances,)  the  distances  of  all  the  other  planets  from  the  sun 
may  be  determined ;  so  that,  from  the  qbservation  of  this 
one  phenomenon,  the  transit  of  Venus,  can  be  calculated  the 
diameter  of  the  planetary  orbits,  and  the  extent  of  the  whole 
solar  system. 

Haliey  briefly  stated  the  result  of  his  reflections  in  his 
"  Catalogus  Stellarum  Australium,"  pubhshed  in  1679.  He 
developed  them  more  clearly  in  an  essay,  read  to  the  Royal 
Society  in  1691  ;*  and  in  1716  he  again  most  eaniestly  recom- 
mended the  subject  to  the  attention  of  that  body,  and  of  men 
of  science  in  general.  From  his  advanced  age,  he  could  en- 
tertain no  hopes  of  living  to  observe  the  next  transit  in  1761. 
He  therefore  solemnly  addressed  himself  to  future  astrono- 
mers, most  impressively  exhorting  them,  "moniti  hujus  nostri 
memores,"  to  devote  all  their  energies  and  to  use  every  endeav- 

*  "  De  visibili  conjunctione  Inreriorum  Pianetaruin  cum  Sole."— Phil- 
owmtaicd  Transactions,  No.  oxcUi.,  voL  xviL,  p.  511-083. 

S2 


»10 


LIFE    OF  COOK 


11  h 


i 


f.  - 


t  r 


■i 


. 


our  to  obtain  accurate  observations  of  so  unusual  an  occur- 
rence. With  great  fervour  he  deprecated  such  a  state  of  the 
atmosphere  as  might  obstruct  their  view,  and  offered  up  the 
most  ardent  wishes  for  their  complete  and  triumphant  suc- 
cess—" Utque  tandem,"  he  concludes,  **  orbium  celestium 
magnitudines  intra  arctiores  limites  coercitas  in  corum  glo- 
riam  famamque  sempitemam  cedant."* 

Halley  died  in  1742  ;  but  his  affecting  appeal  to  posterity 
was  not  made  in  vain.  About  a  twelvemonth  before  the  long- 
expected  event,  the  celebrated  Boscovich  addressed  a  com- 
munication to  the  Royal  Society,  warmly  urging  attention 
to  the  phenomenon ;  and  from  the  very  next  paper  in  the 
memoirs  of  that  body,  read  on  the  26th  of  June,  1760,  we 
learn  that  they  had  ^*  come  to  a  resolution  to  send  persons  of 
ability  to  proper  places,  in  order  to  observe  the  approaching 
passage  of  Venus  over  the  sun,  the  6th  of  June  next  year."t  ^ 
Under  their  auspices,  accordingly,  and  favoured  by  royal  mu- 
nificence, the  Hev.  Nevil  Maskelyne,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Waddington,  repaired  to  St.  Helena,  while  Messrs.  Mason  and 
Dixon  were  despatched  to  Bencoolen,  in  the  Island  of  Suma- 
tra. Numerous  preparations  were  likewise  made  at  home, 
and  methods  devised  for  securing  ample  communications  from 
observers  abroad.  The  whole  scientific  world,  indeed,  as  may 
be  seen  from  the  subjoined  note,  was  alive  to  an  occurrence 
which  had  been  termed  '*  spectaculum  inter  Astronomica 
lonee  nobilissimum,"  and  individuals  of  the  highest  rank  par- 
took of  the  prevailing  enthusiasm.^ 

*  '•  Methndus  singularls  qu&  Solis  Paral'axis  sive  distantia  a  Terra 
ope  Veneris  intra  Sol  'in  comtiiicieiidte,  luio  determinari  poterit."— Piiil. 
Trans.,  No.  cccxiviii.,  vol.  xxix.,  p.  454-464.  James  Ferguson's  "  Pla'n 
Method  of  finding  the  Uiatances  uf  all  the  Planets  (torn  thi;  Sun  hy  the 
Transit  of  V<  nUH,"  and  Benjamin  Martin's  "  Venua  in  the  Sun,"  both 
published  in  1701,  were  little  more  ilian  loose  translations  of  U  \n  tract, 
with  some  notes  and  tdditions,  partly  popular  and  (larily  scientific. 

t  Phil.  Trans.,  vol  li.,  p.  8S9. 

X  In  Kritain,  the  observHiions  at  Saville  House,  by  Mr.  Short  snd  Drs. 
Blair  and  iievig,  were  made  in  pr<  sence  or  their  royal  highnesses  the 
Duke  of  York  (broti  er  to  Ueorg-  ill )  Princes  William  Henry  and  Fred- 
erick, and  Princess  A  ugusta ;  Lord  Maccleafleld's  Obaervaiory  at  Sliirtiurn 
Castle  was  supplied  by  Messrs.  UornMby,  Phelps,  and  Baril*  tl ;  Mr.  Bliss 
attended  the  Royal  Observatory  at  Greenwich  ;  Mr.  (  anton  observed  at 
Spiltal  Square;  ElUcott  nnd  Uollondat  Hackney ;  Mr.  Dunn  at  Olielitea  ; 
and  Mr.  H  'vdun  at  L.^keard,  in  Cornwall.  In  other  parts  of*  Eiikopb 
there  were  D<'  Lalande,  Maraldi,  and  De  Li«le,  at  the  Royal  Observatory 
Id  the  Palace  or  Luxembourg  and  at  the  Hotel  de  Clugny ;  De  la  Caille, 
JLs  Mojuiier,  and  Feruer,  at  ConAana,  dec. ;  Zanotti  at  Bdogoa  ;  Mayer 


P 
c 

n 

/ 

a 
n 

8 

t 
I 
] 

I 

C 


PREVIOUS   TO  HIS    FIRST   tOYAGE.        211 


an  occur- 
(ate  of  the 
ed  up  th« 
)hant  8UC- 
celestium 
orum  glo- 

posterity 
the  long- 
id  a  coin- 
attention 
•er  in  the 
1760,  we 
tersons  of 
proaching 

ttyear."t" 
royal  mu- 
i  by  Mr. 
[ason  and 
of  Suma- 
at  home, 
ons  from 
as  may 
currence 
onomica 
ank  par- 


a  Terra 

8  " Plan 
in  ity  the 
in/'  both 
t  is  tract, 
iflc. 


These  extensive  arrangements  were  unfortunately  in  many 
cases  baffled  by  untoward  circumstances.  Some  observers 
foiled  to  reach  their  appointed  stations ;  a  few  were  not  in 
good  health,  and  had  to  intrust  the  duty  to  subordinate  assist- 
ants ;  in  other  instances,  the  instruments  were  disordered,  or 
not  ready  in  time ;  and,  on  the  whole,  the  position  of  the 
planet  and  the  state  of  the  atmosphere  proved  generally  inaus- 
picious to  nice  examination.  But,  though  the  discrepances 
in  the  results  were  considerable,  the  possibility  of  success  on 
the  next  opportunity,  on  the  3d  of  June,  1769,  was  as  confi- 
dently expected  as  ever. 

Nearly  two  years  previous  to  that  period,  the  Royal  Society 
resolved  to  send  out  observers  to  some  part  of  the  South  Sea, 
between  the  longitudes  of  140*^  and  180°  west  of  Greenwich. 
They  were,  however,  in  no  condition  to  defray  the  expense  of 
such  an  undertaking ;  and  it  was  found  necessary,  in  Febru- 
ary, 1768,  to  present  a  memorial  to  his  majesty,  setting  forth 
the  great  advantages  to  be  derived  from  it,  and  requestmg  the 
royal  aid.  This  petition  was  at  once  granted,  and  on  the  3d 
of  April  Mr.  (afterward  Sir  Philip)  Stephens,  the  secretary 
of  the  Admiralty,  informed  the  society  that  a  bark  would  be 
provided  for  the  purpose.  It  was  intended  to  intrust  the 
-charge  of  the  expedition  to  an  eminent  geographer,  whose 
name  has  been  often  mentioned  in  the  preceding  pages- 
Alexander  Dabymple,  brother  to  that  distinguished  antiquary 
and  scholar,  Lord  rlailes.  Aware  of  the  difficulty,  in  such  a 
navigation,  of  securing  the  obedience  of  a  crow  who  were  not 
subjected  to  strict  naval  discipline,  it  was  proposed  that  this 
gentleman  should  receive  a  brevet-commission  to  command 
the  vessel ;  and  it  was  stated  as  a  precedent,  that  William  III. 
had,  in  1698,  appointed  Halley  to  be  captain  of  the  Paramour 
Pink,  on  a  voyage  of  discovery  to  the  South  Atlantic.    This 

at  Schwezinga,  near  Haidelberg  ;  Lulofh  at  Leyden  ;  Eximenus  at  Ma< 
drid ;  Mullet  and  Bergmann  at  UpMl ;  Glister  at  Ilernosand ;  Planinaa 
at  Ctuaneburg ;  Warsentin  and  Klingenstierna  at  Stockholm ;  Juaian- 
der  at  Abo,  in  Finland ;  Hellant  at  Tornea.  In  Asia,  Chapiie  observed 
at  Tobolsk  in  Siberia  ;  Porter,  the  English  ambassador,  at  Constantino- 
ple ;  Hirst,  chaplain  of  one  or  his  majesty's  shi|ts,  at  Madras ;  Masfee  at 
Calcutta;  Dollierat  Peki' g.  In  Africa  maybe  enumerated,  MHson 
and  Dixon  at  the  Cnpe  ofGtiod  Hope,  as  they  were  prevented  (Vom  reach- 
ing Bencnoleii ;  Maakelyne  at  St.  Helena.  In  Amilkica,  it  was  observed 
by  Winthrop  at  8t.  John's,  Newfoundland,  and  by  others  at  Kingston  and 
Port  Koyal,  in  Jamaica;  while  Piogr6  was  stationed  at  the  Island  ot 
Rodiiguesb  in  tiie  Indian  Ooeao. 


• 


I 


\ 


:1 


i. 


I 


f 


V 


212 


LIFE    OF   COOK 


was  an  unfortunate  example  to  adduce ;  for  the  officers  and 
crews  of  the  learned  astronomer  had  slighted  his  authority, 
refused  to  obey  his  directions,  and  at  last  became  so  insolent 
and  insubordinate,  that,  without  having  effected  almost  any 
thing,  to  use  his  own  words,  he  "  found  it  absolutely  necessary'* 
to  return  to  England,  and  to  incur  the  cost  of  a  second  expe- 
dition. These  circumstances  could  not  fail  to  be  remembered 
by  the  lords  of  the  Admiralty ;  and,  when  the  representation 
of  the  society  was  laid  before  them,  Sir  Edward,  afterward 
Lord  Hawke,  then  at  the  head  of  the  board,  declared,  "  that 
his  conscience  would  not  allow  him  to  trust  any  ship  of  his 
majesty  to  a  person  who  had  not  regularly  been  bred  a  seaman." 
On  the  matter  being  again  urged,  he  replied  that  he  would 
rather  have  his  right  hand  cut  oif  than  that  it  should  sign  any 
such  commission ;  and  Mr.  Dalrymple,  on  the  other  part,  was 
found  equally  determined  not  to  proceed  without  it. 

In  this  dilemma,  Mr.  Stephens  suggested  that  another  indi- 
vidual should  be  employed.  With  a  discrimination  which 
does  him  the  highest  honour,  he  had  early  appreciated  the 
talents  of  Cook,  who  was  now  proposed  by  him  as  a  person 
fully  qualified  for  the  undertaking,  and  one  who  had  also  been 
regularly  educated  in  the  navy.  He  appealed  for  a  confirma- 
tion of  his  views  to  Sir  Hugh  Palliser,  and  that  gentleman 
most  warmly  seconded  the  recommendation,  which,  fortunately 
for  science,  proved  successful.  Cook,  then  in  his  fortieth 
year,  was  appointed  to  conduct  the  expedition,  and  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  lieutenant  by  a  commission  dated  the 
26th  of  May,  1768. 

The  Admiralty  having  intrusted  Sir  Hugh  with  the  selection 
of  a  suitable  vessel,  he  called  its  future  commander  to  his  as- 
sistance, and  proceeded  to  examine  a  great  number  of  ships 
in  the  Thames.  Even  in  this  first  step  in  the  enterpise,  its 
conductor  displayed  the  discernment  and  sagacity  for  which 
he  was  afterward  so  remarkable.  At  that  time  there  was 
much  discussion  regarding  the  size  and  kind  of  vessels  most 
proper  for  such  a  voyage ;  some  recommending  East  India- 
men,  or  heavy  barks  of  forty  guns ;  while  others  preferred 
large,  good-sailing  frigates,  or  three-decked  ships,  such  as 
were  then  employed  in  the  Jamaica  trade.  With  that  confi- 
dence in  his  own  judgment  which  is  the  result  of  a  strong 
and  sound-thinking  mind.  Cook  dissented  from  the  views  of 
both  parties,  and  chose  a  bark  built  for  the  coal-trade,  of  the 


t 

e: 
c 

P 

a 

li 
C 

P 

V 

d 
a 
t 
ii 
1 
( 


PREVIOUS    TO  HIS   FIRST   VOYAGE.      213 


Beers  and 
authority, 

0  insolent 
Imost  any 
ecessary'* 
Dnd  expe- 
nembered 
jsentation 
afterward 
ed,  "  that 
lip  of  his 
seaman." 
he  would 

1  sign  any 
part,  was 

ther  indi- 
3n  which 
iated  the 
a  person 
also  been 
:onfirma- 
entleman 
rtunately 
fortieth 
was  pro- 
ated  the 

selection 
0  his  as- 
of  ships 
pise,  its 
which 
ere  was 
s  most 
India- 
referred 
uch  as 
confi- 
strong 
■ews  of 
of  the 


;ls 


t 


burden  of  370  tons.  He  at  once  saw  that  the  qualities  most 
essential  were,  that  the  ship  should  be  of  no  great  draught  of 
water,  yet  of  sufficient  capacity  to  carry  the  requisite  stores ; 
of  a  construction  that  would  bear  to  take  the  ground ;  and  of 
such  a  size  that  she  might,  if  necessary,  be  laid  on  shore  for 
repair  with  safety  and  convenience.  These  properties,  he  re- 
marks, are  not  to  be  found  in  either  of  the  two  classes  pro- 
posed, "  nor,  indeed,  in  any  other  but  north-country-built  ships, 
or  such  as  are  built  for  the  coal-trade,  which  are  peculiarly 
adapted  to  this  purpose.  In  such  a  vessel,  an  able  sea-officer 
will  be  most  venturesome,  and  better  enabled  to  fulfil  his  in- 
structions than  he  possibly  can  (or  indeed  than  would  be  pru- 
dent for  him  to  attempt)  in  one  of  any  other  sort  or  size."* 
He  probably  was  not  aware  that  his  opinions  on  this  subject 
coincided  with  those  of  the  illustrious  discoverer  of  the  New 
World.  Of  the  three  ships  that  first  crossed  the  Atlantic,  one 
only  was  full  decked,  the  others  were  caravels  or  light  baxkS| 
little  superior  to  the  small  coasting-craft  of  the  present  day. 
•**  It  was  not,"  says  Mr.  Irving,  "  for  want  of  large  vessels  in 
the  Spanish  ports  that  those  of  Columbus  were  of  so  small  a 
size.  He  considered  them  best  adapted  to  voyages  of  discov- 
ery, as  they  required  but  little  depth  of  water,  and  therefore 
could  more  easily  and  safely  coast  unknown  shores  and  ex- 
plore bays  and  rivers.  He  had  some  purposely  constructed  of 
a  very  small  size  for  this  service. "t 

Before  the  Endeavour  could  be  completely  fitted  out,  Wal- 
lis  returned  from  his  circumnavigation,  and  recommended 
Otaheite  as  the  most  eligible  situation  for  observing  the  ap- 
proaching transit.  It  had  been  proposed  to  make  the  obser- 
vations at  one  of  the  Marquesas,  or  at  the  Island  of  Amster- 
dam, Middleburg,  or  Rotterdam  ;  but  this  intention  was  now 
abandoned,  and  the  Royal  Society  expressed  to  the  Admiralty 
their  wish  to  have  the  astronomers  conveyed  to  Port  Royal, 
in  the  newly-found  island.  The  observers  whom  they  se- 
lected were  Mr.  Green,  assistant  to  Dr.  Bradley  in  the  Royal 
Observatory  at  Greenwich,  and  Lieutenant  Cook. 

During  these  preparations,  permission  to  join  the  expedition 
was  solicited  by  Mr.  (afterward  Sir  Joseph)  Banks,  the  woll- 

*  General  Tntrod.  to  Second  Voyage,  p.  xxv. 

t  Lire  of  Columbus,  vol.  iv.,  p  234.  In  his  third  voyage,  when  nailing 
along  the  shores  or  the  Gulf  or  Paria,  he  conniilained  of  the  size  of  bia 
•bip,  wbicb  was  "  nearly  a  buadrad  tons  burdeo."— Vol.  i,,  p.  181, 


t 


! 


I 


I         t 


\ 


214 


LIFE    OF    COOK,    ETC. 


;  t' 


known  president  of  the  Royal  Society  during  a  period  of 
nearly  fifty  years.*  The  wish  which  he  had  expressed  was  at 
once  acceded  to,  and  he  immediately  made  arrangements  on 
the  most  extensive  scale.  He  procured  a  large  supply  of  such 
articles  as  were  likely  to  be  useful  or  acceptable  in  the  coun- 
tries he  was  to  visit.  He  engaged  to  accompany  him  a  Swe- 
dish naturalist,  Dr.  Solander,  the  favourite  pupil  of  Linnaeus  ;t 
and  besides  a  secretary  and  four  servants,  two  of  whom  were 
negroes,  he  took  out  two  draughtsmen,  the  one  in  the  depart- 
ment of  landscape,  the  other  in  natural  history. 

The  Endeavour  was  victualled  for  eighteen  inonths,  and 
had  on  board  ten  carriage  and  twelve  swivel  guns.  Her  crew, 
besides  the  commander  and  other  officers,  consisted  of  forty- 
one  able  seamen,  twelve  marines,  and  nine  servants — in  all 
eighty-five  persons.  The  instructions  given  to  Cook  were, 
to  proceed  directly  to  Otaheite,  and,  after  the  astronomical 
observations  should  be  completed,  to  prosecute  the  general 
design  for  discovery  in  the  Pacific,  in  which  Byron,  Wallis, 
and  Carteret  had  been  employed.  He  was  ordered  to  sail  as 
far  south  as  the  latitude  of  40°  ;  if  no  land  was  found,  he 
was  then  to  steer  to  the  west,  between  the  fortieth  and  thirty- 
fifth  parallels,  till  he  encountered  New  Zealand,  and  having 
explored  that  country,  he  was  to  return  to  England  by  such 
route  ap  he  might  think  proper. 

*  Sir  Joseph  Banks  was  born  at  London,  13th  February,  1743.  He 
quilted  Oxrord  in  1763,  and  three'  years  thereafter  made  a  voyage  to 
Newfoundland.  In  1778  he  was  elected  president  of  the  Royal  Society ; 
he  was  created  a  baronet  in  1781,  received  the  order  of  the  Bath  in  1795» 
and  in  1802  was  elected  a  foreign  Associate  of  the  National  Institute  of 
France.    He  died  19th  May,  1820. 

t  Solander  at  this  time  held  an  appointment  in  the  British  Museum. 
Some  interesting  notices  of  him  are  given  in  the  Edinburgh  Cabinet 
Library,  No.  XVI.,  Lives  of  Eminent  Zoologists,  flrom  Aristotle  to  Lin- 
lUBiis  iaclusive,  p.  343-3481 


<^' 


-n. 


IV, 


FIRST   CIRCtrMNAVIOATION   OF   COOK.     215 


CHAPTER  IX. 
First  Circumnavigation  of  Cook. 

Departare.— -Adventure  on  Tierra  del  Fuego.— Discovery  of  Lagoon, 
Thrum  Cap,  Bow,  The  Groups,  and  Chain  Islands.— Arrival  at  Ota- 
heite.— Observation  of  the  Transit  and  Incidents  during  their  Stay.^ 
Discovery  of  the  Islands  orTethuroa,  Huaheine,  Uiiaiea,  Otaha,  Tubal, 
Bolaboia,  Maurua,  >^lld  Oheteroa.— Maices  the  East  Coast  of  Mew  Zea- 
land.—Affrays  with  the  Natives.— Doubles  the  North  Cape.— Discovers 
Cooli's  Straits,  and  Circumnavigates  the  Islands.— Sails  for  the  ESast 
Coast  of  New  Holland.— Discovery  of  New  South  Wales.— Boiauy 
Bay.— Intercourse  with  theNatives.— Port  Jackson.— Dangerous  Posl' 
tion  of  the  Ship.— Reaches  the  moat  northerly  Point  of  Australia.— 
Rediscovery  of  Torres'  Strait.— New  Guinea. — Timor. — Batavia.— 
Mortality  among  the  Crew.— Arrival  in  England. 

On  the  27th  May,  1768,  Lieutenant  Cook  hoisted  his  pend* 
ant  on  board, the  Endeavour,  then  lying  in  Deptford  Yard,  and 
on  the  30th  of  July  bore  down  the  river  and  proceeded  to 
Plymouth,  whence  he  finally  set  sail  on  the  26th  of  August. 

While  at  Madeira,  which  they  reached  on  the  13th  Septeni' 
ber,  the  navigators  visited  the  convent  of  Santa  Clara  ;  and 
the  simple  nuns,  hearing  that  some  of  the  strangers  were  great 
philosophers,  asked,  among  other  questions,  *'  When  it  would 
thunder!"  and  "  Whether  a  spring  of  fresh  water  was  to  be 
found  anywhere  within  the  walls  of  the  cloister  V*  The  voy- 
agers passed  the  Island  of  Teneriffe  on  the  23d,  and  observed, 
after  the  sun  had  sunk  below  the  horizon,  that  the  lofty  peak 
Btill  received  hii»  rays,  and,  while  the  rest  of  the  island  re- 
posed in  the  darkest  shades,  glowed  with  a  warmth  of  coloiu 
which  no  language  could  describe.  As  they  pursued  their 
course  to  Brazil,  they  had  an  opportunity  of  observing  that 
luminous  appearance  of  the  sea  which  has  so  often  excited  the 
admiration  of  mariners.  They  anchored  at  Rio  de  Janeiro  on 
the  13th  November,  but  the  jealousy  of  the  Portuguese  gov- 
ernor would  only  allow  refreshments  to  be  procured  under  the 
most  rigorous  restriction's ;  and  his  ignorance  was  such,  that  K^ 
he  could  form  no  other  notion  of  the  purpose  of  the  voyage  •  ^ 
than  that  it  was  to  observe  "  the  passing  of  the  North  Star 
through  the  South  Pole  !'' 

On  quitting  this  port,  Cook  kept  a  look-out  for  Pepys* 


216    FIRST  CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF  COOK. 


it 


' 


^   J--' 


■  (4. 


ii 


Island  ;  but  nothing  was  perceived  but  a  fog-bank,  which  at 
a  distance  closely  resembled  land.  On  the  1 1th  January,  1769, 
he  was  in  Night  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  three  days  afterward 
entered  Strait  Le  Mai  re. 

The  morning  of  the  16th  was  fair  and  mild,  much  like  one 
of  our  bright  days  in  May,  and  Mr.  Banks  landed  with  a  party 
to  explore  the  country.  They  commenced  the  ascent  of  a 
mountain,  the  lower  region  of  which  was  covered  with  wood  ; 
this  was  succeeded  by  what  scorned  a  plain,  while  the  top  con- 
sisted of  bare  rocks.  About  three  o'clock  they  reached  the 
second  stage  of  the  hill,  which  they  discovered  to  be  a  swamp, 
overgrown  with  low  bushes  of  birch,  so  interwoven  and  stiff 
that  it  was  necessary  to  step  over  them,  while  at  every  exertion 
the  foot  sunk  ankle-deep  in  the  soil.  The  day  now  became 
cold  and  gloomy,  and  the  wind  swept  down  in  sudden  gusts, 
accompanied  with  snow.  They  still  pressed  on  in  good  spirits, 
and  had  crossed  about  two  thirds  of  the  wooded  morass,  when 
Mr.  Buchan,  the  landscape-painterf  was  seized  with  a  fit  of  epi- 
lepsy. A  fire  having  been  kindlbd,  he  was  left  in  charge  of 
those  who  were  most  fatigued,  while  Mr.  Banks,  Dr.  Solander,- 
and  Messrs.  Green  and  Monkhouae,  continued  their  ascents 
By  the  time  they  reached  the  summit,  the  day  was  so  far  spent 
that  it  was  hopeless  to  think  of  regaining  the  ship  befcHre  night ;: 
it  was  resolved,  therefore,  to  build  a  hut  in  a  wood  at  some 
distance,  and  the  gentlemen  last  named  were  despatched  to* 
conduct  those  who  had  remained  below  to  a  spot  from  whieb 
all  might  advance  together.  It  was  nearly  eight  o'clock  be- 
fore  the  whole  party  were  assembled  at  this  lendezvous,  chilled 
with  the  intense  cold,  but  cheerful  and  in  health — as  Mr^ 
Buchan  had  sufiVcientiy  recovered  to  attempt  the  remainder 
of  the  journey.  There  was  still  good  daylight,  and  they  set 
forward  to  reach  ^the  nearest  valley — Mr.  Banks  walking  last^ 
to  prevent  any  one  from  lingering  behind.  Dr.  Solander,  in 
crossing  the  mountains  of  his  native  land,  had  learned  that 
fatigue  and  extreme  cold  frequently  produce  an  irresistible  de- 
sire for  sleep,  against  which  he  now  cautioned  his  companions^ 
earnestly  exhorting  them  to  keep  in  motion,  however  painful 
the  effort  might  be  :  "  Whoever  sits  down,"  he  warned  them^ 
"  will  sleep,  and  whoever  sleeps  will  wake  no  more  !"  The 
doctor  was  himself  the  first  that  was  affected  with  this  incli' 
nation  for  repose  ;  and  so  powerful  was  it,  that  he  insisted  an 
being  suffered  to  lie  down,  and,  in  spite  of  every  expostulation 


wl 
th< 
th( 


when 


ley  set 
g  last^ 
er,  in 

that 
e  de- 
nions^ 
ainful 
them. 

The 
incli- 
edon 
lation 


FIRST   CIRCVMNAVIOATION  OF   COOK.     217 

and  entreaty,  stretched  himself  on  the  snow.  Richmond,  on« 
of  the  black  servants,  had  felt  the  same  effects  and  besan  to 
lag  behind,  when  five  of  the  party  was  sent  forward  to  nght  a 
fire  at  the  first  convenient  place.  Mr.  Banks,  and  four  others 
who  remained  with  him,  succeeded  in  dragging  Solander  and 
the  negro  almost  to  the  edge  of  the  wood,  wnen  both  declared 
they  could  go  no  farther.  Prayers  and  Femonstrances  were 
equally  unavailing ;  the  black,  when  told  that  if  he  did  not 
proceed  ho  would  be  frozen  to  death,  answered,  that  *'  he 
desired  nothing  but  to  lie  down  and  die ;"  while  the  naturalist 
expressed  himself  willing  to  go  on,  **  but  that  he  must  first 
take  some  sleep."  It  being  impossible  to  carry  them,  they 
were  allowed  to  recline  themselves,  partly  supported  by  the 
bushes,  and  in  a  few  miqutes  both  were  in  a  profound  sleepr 
Soon  afterward  the  welcome  intelligence  was  received  that  a 
flame  had  been  kindled  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  advance, 
Solander  was  then  wakened ;  but  though  he  had  not  slum' 
bered  quite  five  minutes,  he  was  hardly  able  to  move  his  limbs, 
and  the  muscles  of  ftis  feet  were  so  shrunk  that  his  shoes  fell 
off;  it  was  found  impossible  to  make  the  negro  stir,  and  he 
was  left  in  charge  of  the  other  black  and  one  of  the  seamen. 
With  much  difficulty  Mr.  Banks  got  the  doctor  to  the  fire, 
when  he  despatched  two  persons  for  Richmond,  but  they  re- 
turned without  having  been  able  to  find  him.  The  snow  again 
came  on,  and  fell  incessantly  for  two  hours.  About  midnight, 
those  at  the  fire  heard  a  distant  shouting,  and  having  pro- 
ceeded a  little  way,  found  the  seaman  calling  for  help,  and 
barely  able  to  totter  on.  Farther  off,  Richmond  was  discov- 
ered standing,  but  unable  to  move,  and  his  companion  lay  on 
the  ground  totally  insensible.  The  united  efforts  of  the  whole 
party  failed  to  bring  them  to  the  fire ;  the  night  was  extremely 
dark,  the  snow  very  deep,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  they 
made  their  way  through  the  bog — ^fiouiMlering  and  stumbling 
among  the  bushes.  An  attempt  to  kindle  a  flame  at  the  spot 
was  equally  unsuccessful,  owing  to  the  heavy  fall  of  snow  and 
the  quantities  of  it  which  every  blast  shook  from  the  trees. 
There  was  no  alternative  but  to  cover  the  unhappy  Africans 
with  boughs,  and  resign  them  to  their  lot.*     The  cold  to 

*  In  a  narrative  of  the  voyage,  compiled  tntm  the  papers  or  one  or  the 
draughtsmen  entployed  by  Mr.  Banlts,  it  is  said  that  the  eeamanr 
**  touched  with  Hympathy  for  his  companions,  told  the  company  of  the 
condition  in  which  he  left  ihemf  and  they  were  disposed  to  have  yMded 

T 


'  i^^ji 


SI 8    FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OP   COOK. 

which  the  party  had  been  exposed  in  these  endeavours  nearly 
deprived  some  of  them  of  sensation,  and  one  suffered  so  se- 
verely that  it  was  thought  he  would  not  live  to  reach  the  fire. 
The  night  was  passed  in  great  misery  ;  and  when  the  morn- 
ing dawned,  the  snow-blasts  were  so  strong  that  it  was  found 
impossible  to  proceed.  At  six  o'clock  they  were  able  to  per- 
ceive the  place  of  the  sun  in  the  heavens ;  but,  although  the 
clouds  became  thinner  and  began  to  break  away,  the  snow 
still  fell  so  thick  that  they  could  not  venture  to  quit  their  fire. 
A  party  sent  out  to  ascertain  the  fate  of  the  blacks  found  them 
both  dead ;  a  dog  which  belonged  to  one  of  them  was  sitting 
close  to  the  corpse  of  his  master,  and  it  was  with  difficulty 
that  he  was  prevailed  on  to  forsake  it.  At  eight,  a  breeze 
sprung  up,  the  sky  became  at  length  clear,  and  the  snow, 
droppmg  from  the  branches  in  large  flakes,  was  considered  a 
sure  sign  of  an  approaching  thaw.  They  began  to  prepare 
for  their  departure,  and  made  a  meal  on  a  vulture,  which  af- 
forded each  person  about  three  mouthfuls.  At  ten  they  set 
out ;  and,  after  walking  three  hours,  found  themselves  on  the 
beach,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  vessel,  where  their  ab- 
sence during  the  night  had  occasioned  much  anxiety.* 

them  assistance,  but,  it  being  almost  dark,  there  ^as  not  any  probability 
of  finding  ihem,  and  the  attempt  would  have  been  attended  with  the 
risic  ortheir  own  lives ;  they  there/ore  declined  zf.**— Journal  ofaVoyage 
to  the  8outb  Seas,  Taithfully  transcribed  from  the  Papers  of  the  late  Syd- 
ney Parkintton  (London,  1773),  p.  )0.  It  will  be  seen  that  this  statement 
is  directly  contradicted  by  that  given  in  the  text,  on  the  authority  of  Sir 
Joseph  Banks  and  Captain  Cook,  which  is  in  every  way  preferable.  Mr. 
Parkinson  was  not  of  the  party,  and  could  only  learn  the  details  by 
hearsay  in  the  ship ;  his  papers  were  never  prepared  by  him  for  publica- 
tion ;  and  the  so-called  jounial  was  given  to  the  world  after  his  death, 
not  from  the  original,  but  from  various  loose  memoranda  and  flragment& 
In  such  a  work  it  is  evident  little  faith  can  be  placed. 

*  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  46-53.  Sydney  Parkinson's  Joar, 
p.  9,  10.  "  It  is ''quite  inexplicable  to  me,"  says  a  late  author,  **  how 
Dr.  Solander  and  his  party  could  possibly  feel  the  etfects  of  crid  as  they 
did.  We  are  told  that  he  was  seized  with  a  torpor,  and  that  two  black 
servants  were  actually  flrozen  to  death,  asleep;  and  yet,  here  plants 
flourished ! — they  returned  to  the  vessel  with  some  hundred  new  speei- 
mens !  One  would  suppose  that  it  wou'd  be  needless  to  search  (br  plants 
in  a  climate  so  rigorous  in  its  effects."— Voyage  to  the  Southern  Atlantic, 
in  the  years  1828'»-30,  in  H.  M.  sloop  Chanticleer,  by  W.  H.  B.  W^  h- 
ster,  surgeon  (London,  1834),  vol.  i.,  p.  200.  The  plants  which  were 
gathered  were  "  Alpine  plants,'^  and  Mr.  Webster's  amazement  at  their 
**  flourishing  in  a  climate  so  rigorous  in  its  effects,"  is  scarcely  mora 
misplaced  than  his  astonishment  that  two  negroes  should  jierisb  from 
exposure  on  a  hillside  during  a  whole  night  to  a  severe  snow  storm,  ac 
companiad  by  a  hard  flrost  and  a  piercing  wind. 


i 


■.^ 


K. 

ITS  nearly 
ed  80  se- 
1  the  fire. 
;he  mom- 
mas found 
le  to  per- 
lough  the 
the  snow 
their  fire, 
and  them 
as  sitting 
difficulty 
a  breeze 
he  snow, 
isidered  a 
)  prepare 
^hich  af- 
1  they  set 
cs  on  the 
their  ab- 


probability 
1  with  the 
fa  Voyage 
e  late  Syd- 
Btatement 
rity  of  Sir 
able.  Mr. 
details  by 
>r  pub]ica-> 
hie  death, 
Iragments. 

on's  Jour., 
or,  "  how 
id  as  they 
two  black 
re  plants 
lew  speei- 
fbr  plants 
1  Atlantic , 
B.  W'  h- 
lich  were 
nt  at  their 
cely  more 
rish  from 
Btorm,  ac 


FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIOATION   OF   COOK.    219 

On  the  22d  Cook  resumed  his  y^age  through  the  strait, 
And  on  the  fourth  day  after  passed  Cape  Horn.  On  the  1st 
of  March  he  was  in  latitude  38°  44'  S.,  and  longitude  110° 
33'  W.  A  log  of  wood  floated  past  the  sliip^  the  sea  be« 
came  suddenly  smooth,  and  it  was  the  general  opinion  that 
land  lay  to  windward ;  but  none  was  discovered  till  the 
4th  of  April,  when  an  island  was  seen  three  or  four  leagues 
towards  the  south.  It  was  little  more  than  a  border  of  land, 
broken  in  several  places,  and  enclosing  a  large  lagoon,  the 
whole  having  the  appearance  of  many  islets  covered  with 
wood ;  above  which  towered  two  cocoanut-trees  bearing  a 
great  resemblance  to  flags.  Habitations  were  descried  under 
the  shade  of  some  palms,  and  to  the  voyagers,  "  who  for  a 
long  time  had  seen  nothing  but  water  and  sky,  except  the 
dreary  hills  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  these  groves  seemed  a  ter- 
restrial paradise."  Several  natives  were  perceived  on  the 
shore,  and  appeared  to  be  tall,  of  a  copper  colour,  and  with 
long  black  hair ;  some  of  them  held  in  their  hands  poles  up- 
wards of  fourteen  feet  in  length.  To  this  spot  was  given  the 
name  of  Lagoon  Island  ;*  and  Cook  was  afterward  of  opinion 
that  it  was  the  same  which  Bougainville  had  visited  the  pre- 
ceding year,  and  called  Les  Quatre  Facardins.f 

About  sunset  the  Endeavour  was  close  to  a  low  woody 
island,  of  a  circular  form,  and  not  much  above  a  mile  in  com- 
pass. It  was  covered  with  verdure  of  many  hues  ;  but  no 
inhabitants  were  seen,  nor  could  any  cocoa-trees  be  discerned. 
It  received  the  appellation  of  Thrum  Cap ;  and  though  Cook  be- 
lieved it  to  be  the  He  des  Lanciers  of  his  French  predecessor, 
we  have  more  reason  to  regard  it  as  a  discovery  of  his  own.  j: 

With  a  gentle  whid  and  pleasant  weather,  he  pursued  his 
course  to  the  westward,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day 
approached  a  land  of  much  larger  extent  than  that  previously 
visited.  Several  of  the  gentlemen  remained  at  the  mast- 
head the  whole  evening,  admiring  its  singular  shape,  which 
vas  that  of  a  bow,  "  the  arch  and  cord  of  which  were  land, 
and  the  space  between  them  water ;  the  cord  was  a  flat  beach, 

*  Cook  placed  it  in  latitude  I6<'47'  S„  and  longitude  139°  28'  W, 
Beechey  gives  for  its  position  lar.  18°  43'  19"  S.,  and  long.  138°  47'  13" 
W.  The  captain  attests  the  accuracy  of  the  description  left  by  its  dis- 
coverer, and  adds,  *'  Two  cocoanut-trees  in  the  centre  of  the  island, 
which  Cook  observes  had  the  appearance  of  flags,  are  still  waving.*'— • 
Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  i.,  p.  808, 

t  See  above,  p.  183,  i  See  above,  p,  183. 


220      FIRST  CIRCUMNAYIOATION   OF   COOK. 

without  any  «ignfl  of  veffetation,  having  nothing  upon  it  bnt 
heaps  of  aeaweed ;  the  horns  or  extremities  of  the  bow  w«re 
two  large  tufts  of  cocoanut-trees,  and  much  the  ^eater  part 
of  the  arch  was  covered  with  trees  of  different  height,  figure, 
and  hue."*  It  was  designated  Bow  Island,  and  is  evidently 
the  same  with  Bougainville's  He  de  la  Harpe,  called  by  the 
natives  He-ow ;  the  circumference  was  estimated  at  ten  or 
tr.elve  leagues  ;  while  smoke  ascending  from  different  parts 
showed  that  it  was  inhabited. 

About  noon  of  the  6th  land  was  again  seen  to  the  west- 
ward, and  proved  to  be  two  islands,  or  rather  clusters,  covered 
with  trees  of  various  kinds.  Many  natives  and  canoes  were 
observed,  and  the  place  received  the  name  of  The  Groups. 
At  daybreak  of  the  7th  another  was  descried  and  called  Bird 
Island,  from  the  number  of  fowls  which  frequented  its  shores. 
It  was  thought  to  be  not  less  than  four  miles  round,  had  a 
lagoon  in  the  centre,  was  partially  wooded,  and  "  looked  green 
and  pleasant,  but  we  saw  neither  cocoa-trees  nor  inhabitants." 
About  sunset  of  the  succeeding  day  the  Endeavour  was 
abreast  of  a  double  range  of  low  and  wooded  islets,  connected 
by  reefs  so  as  to  form  one  island  of  an  oval  form,  with  a  lake 
in  the  middle.  From  the  appearance  of  the  border,  it  re- 
ceived the  appellation  of  Chain  Island ;  its  length  seemed  to 
be  about  five  leagues,  its  breadth  nearly  as  many  miles  ; 
some  of  the  trees  were  of  a  large  size,  and  columns  of  smoke 
were  seen  to  rise  from  sundry  places. 

The  night  of  the  9th  was  stormy,  with  thunder  and  rain, 
and  a  haze  enveloped  the  voyagers  till  the  next  morning  was 
far  advanced,  when  the  weather  having  cleared  up,  they  dis- 
covered Osnaburg  or  Maitea  Island.  About  noon  the  high 
mountains  of  Otaheite  were  faintly  discerned  ;  but  calms  and 
light  winds  so'^lon^  delayed  the  approach  of  the  vessel,  that 
she  did  not  anchor  in  Matavai  Bay  (the  Port  Royal  of  its  dis- 
coverer) before  the  morning  of  the  13th. 

The  islanders  in  their  canoes  immediately  surrounded  the 
ship,  exchanging  fruits  and  fish  for  beads  and  other  trifles.  A 
set  of  rules  to  be  observed  in  conducting  a  regular  trade,  and 
for  the  maintenance  of  a  good  understanding  with  the  inhabi- 
tants, was  now  communicated  to  the  crew  by  Cook,  who  after- 
ward went  on  shore  with  Messrs.  Banks  and  Solander,  and  a 
|>arty  of  men  under  aims.    They  were  received  by  the  assem- 

*  Hawkesworth's  Coll..  vol.  U.,  p.  79.  - 


FIRST   CIRCVMNAVIOATION   OF   COOK.     221 


bled  hundreds  with  the  greatest  humility,—  the  first  who  ap- 

Eroached  crouching  till  he  almost  crept  upon  his  hands  and 
nees,  while  he  presented  a  green  branch — an  emblem  of 
peace  borne  by  each  of  his  countrymen — which  was  accepted 
with  marks  of  satisfaction.  A  short  march  brought  the  Eng- 
lish to  the  spot  where  the  Dolphin  had  formerly  watered.  The 
natives  halted  here,  cleared  away  the  plants,  threw  down  their 
boughs,  and  made  a  signal  that  the  strangers  should  follow 
their  example.  This  ceremony,  it  was  conjectured,  not  only 
implied  a  treaty  of  friendship,  but  was  preparatory  to  the  ces- 
sion of  the  watering-place.  Cook,  however,  did  not  think  it 
suitable  for  his  purpose ;  and  the  people  whom  he  had  as  yet 
seen  not  being  of  the  highest  class,  he  resolved,  after  peram- 
bulating the  adjoining  country,  to  endeavour  the  next  day  to 
meet  with  some  of  the  chiefs.  Two  of  these  anticipated  his 
wishes  by  paying  a  visit  early  in  the  morning,  and  inviting  him 
to  their  residences,  where  he  was  received  with  much  cour- 
tesy. In  a  short  time,  however,  two  of  the  English  had  the 
mortification  to  find  that  their  pockets  had  been  picked  of  a 
snuff-box  and  an  opera-glass  in  a  shagreen  case.  The  an- 
nouncement of  this  depredation  produced  a  panic  among  tho 
natives,  and  the  chief  offered  a  large  quantity  of  cloth  as  a 
compensation ;  but  on  this  being  remsed  he  set  off,  and  even- 
tually succeeded  in  recovering  the  lost  articles. 

A  theft  much  more  distressing  in  its  consequences  was 
committed  on  the  15th,  at  the  tent  pitched  on  the  site  of  the 
fortress  which  it  was  designed  to  erect,  partly  for  defence  and 
partly  for  astronomical  purposes.  One  of  the  savages,  watch- 
ing an  opportunity,  snatched  and  carried  off  a  sentinel's  mus- 
ket ;  upon  which  (in  the  absence  of  Cook)  the  officer  on  duty, 
a  young  midshipman,  ordered  the  marines  to  fire,  but  fortU" 
nately  without  effect,  among  a  crowd  of  the  natives,  amount- 
ing to  more  than  100.  The  culprit  was  then  pursued  and  shot 
dead.  Having  reprehended  the  conduct  of  the  officer  as 
equally  barbarous  and  impolitic,  the  commander  took  meas- 
ures for  the  restoration  of  harmony,  and  in  a  short  time  peace 
was  re-established  and  traffic  resumed. 

Hitherto,  the  tender-hearted  princess,  who  made  so  distin- 
guished a  figure  in  the  account  of  Wallis*s  voyage,  had  not 
been  seen.  She  was  at  last  recognised,  apparently  denuded 
of  all  authority,  sitting  with  great  composure  among  a  number 
of  women,  and,  although  she  had  now  lost  many  of  her  per- 

T2 


■^: 


\^ 


222    FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK. 

•onal  attractions,  she  became  an  object  of  great  attention. 
Her  name  was  ascertained  to  be  Oberca,  and  the  was  the 
mother  of  the  heir-apparent  to  the  sovereignty,  Terridiri,  a 
boy  about  seven  voars  of  ago.  Among  the  presents  made  to 
her  was  a  child  s  doll,  which  threw  her  into  raptures,  and 
proved  such  a  source  of  envy  to  Toolahali,  the  uncle  of  the 
prince,  and  regent  of  the  kingdom,  that  it  became  necessary  to 
propitiate  him  by  a  similar  compliment. 

On  the  1st  of  May  the  observatory  was  set  up,  and  the  as- 
tronomical instruments  taken  on  shore.  To  the  great  surprise 
and  anxiety  of  every  one,  the  next  morning  the  quadrant  was 
nowhere  to  bo  found.  It  was  at  first  susncctcd  that  some  of 
the  ship's  company,  ignorant  of  the  real  contents,  had  ab- 
stracted the  box  in  which  it  was  packed  ;  but  nothing  occur- 
ring to  corroborate  this  opinion,  a  search  among  the  natives 
was  undertaken  by  Mr.  Banks,  with  the  assistance  of  a  chief, 
Tubourai  Tamaide,  who  had  some  knowledge  of  the  route 
taken  by  the  culprit.  They  fortunately  succeeded  in  recover- 
ing the  instrument  so  essential  to  the  main  object  of  the  voy- 
age ;  but,  in  the  absence  of  Cook,  Tootahah  had  been  seized, 
to  the  ffreat  terror  of  the  islanders,  who  never  doub.'pd  that  he 
would  DO  put  to  death  as  a  punishment  for  the  t!ieft.  He 
himself  had  the  same  persuasion  till  the  very  moment  when 
ho  was  set  at  liberty — an  event  which  gave  boundless  joy  to 
the  people,  who  flocked  round  and  embraced  him  as  a  father. 

On  the  10th  the  voyagers  discovered  the  native  designation 
of  the  island  to  be  Otaheito ;  and  were,  at  the  same  time, 
much  amused  by  the  attempts  of  the  inhabitants  to  pronounce 
the  names  of  their  visiters :  Cook  became  Toote ;  Solandcr 
was  changed  into  Torano ;  Banks  assumed  the  form  of  Tapane 
or  Opane;  "Molineux  they  renounced  in  absolute  despair, 
and  called  the  master  Boba,  from  his  Christian  name  Robert."* 

As  the  day  of  the  predicted  transit  drew  near,  it  was  re- 
solved to  send  two  parties  to  observe  at  distant  situations,  in 
order  to  lessen  the  chance  of  failure  from  a  clouded  atmo- 
sphere ;  and  on  the  1st  June  Mr.  Banks,  with  a  few  attendants, 
proceeded  to  the  Island  of  Eimeo,  about  twelve  miles  west 
from  Otaheite  ;  while,  on  the  morrow,  Mr.  Hicks,  with  some 
others,  sailed  in  the  pinnace  to  fix  on  some  spot  to  the  east- 
ward of  Matavai  Bay.  ,; 

*  Hawkaaworth'a  Coll.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  ISS.   ParkinaonVi  Journal,  p.  (». 


FIRST  CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF  COOK.  223 


At  Eimeo,  the  evening  preceding  the  important  phenome- 
non wai  beautiful ;  but  tno  Rolicitude  of  the  party  aid  not  al- 
low them  to  take  much  roit  during  the  night ;  "  one  or  other 
of  them  was  up  every  half  hour,  who  aatiified  the  impatience 
of  the  rent  by  reportmg  the  changes  of  the  iky  ;  now  encour- 
aging their  hope  by  telling  them  that  it  was  clear,  and  now 
alarming  their  tears  by  an  account  that  it  was  hazy."  They 
were  on  foot  by  daybreak,  and  saw  the  sun  rise  from  the  sea 
without  a  clouu.  Equal  success  attended  the  persons  sent  to 
the  east  end  of  the  island  ;  while  **  at  the  fort,"  says  Cook, 
"  there  not  being  a  vapour  in  the  sky  from  .the  risins  to  the 
setting  of  the  sun,  the  whole  passage  of  Venus  over  the  sun*a 
disk  was  observed  with  neat  advantage  by  Mr.  Green,  Dr. 
Solandcr,  and  myself."  An  atmosphere  or  dusky  haze,  which 
surrounded  the  body  of  the  planet,  rendered  it  difficult  to  fix 
the  precise  times  of  contact,  and  the  observations  made  by  dif- 
ferent persons  varied  considerably.    According  to  Mr.  Green, 


The  flirst  external  contact,  or  first  appearance  of  Venus 
on  the  Sun,  wan  ...... 

The  first  Internal  contact  or  total  tmmerslon  was 

The  second  tniernal  contact,  or  beginning  of  the 
emersion,  was     ...... 

The  second  external  contact,  or  total  emersion,  . 


h. 

0 
9 

S 
3 


35    43  >  J 
44      4)^ 

ij 


14 
39 


.?! 


The  latitude  of  the  observatory  was  ascertained  to  be  17° 
29'  16"  S.,  and  the  longitude  149<>  82'  30"  W.  of  Greenwich.* 

*  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  11.,  p.  141.  Part  of  the  original  mann- 
script  or  Cook's  observations  has  been  preserved.  The  result  Is  thus 
given  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  1x1.,  pan  11.,  p.  410 ;— 


Timap.«loek. 
h. 
0  31  50 

39 

30 

40 

SO 

T 

10 

15 

10 

47 

97 
98 

34 
04 

1.6ft. 


( The  first  visible  appearanee  of  9  m  the  0's  limb, 
f     figure  1. 

<  First  Internal  contact,  or  tfaa  limb  of  9  seemed  to  ooin- 
\     cide  with  the  Q's,  figure  9. 

I  A  small  thread  or  light  seen  below  the  penambra,  fig- 

I     ureS. 

I  Second  internal  contact  of  the  penumbra,  or  the  thread  of 

I     light  wholly  broke. 

1  Second  internal  contact  of  the  bodies,  and  appeared  as  in 

\     the  first 

Second  external  contact  of  the  bodies.  ;. 

Total  egress  of  penumbra  dubious. 

The  part  of  the  MS.  missing  seems  to  have  contained  the  tlmea  of  the 


284      FIRRT   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK. 

In  other  parts  of  thci  world  the  approach  of  thr  phenomenon 
WM  watched  with  cnual  anxiety.  A  trannitMit  ohocurity  in  the 
heaytna  and  a  gentle  shower  were  nioro  aptMiUing  on  that 
forenoon  than  a  hnrricanu  on  another  day.  In  nonie  plocos 
philoRophera  had  to  deplore  an  eveninff  hiack  with  thunder- 
clouds and  heavy  rain ;  while  in  others  the  storm  was  over  and 
the  sky  clear  hefore  the  hour  for  ohservation  arrived.*  At 
Edinburf^h,  Lord  AUimoor,  one  of  the  SenatorN  of  the  Oollego 
of  J\istioe,  connidrrod  himself  to  be  pcrnliarly  favoured. 
*'  The  morninj?,"  says  one  of  his  iMirty,  "  promised  ill.  About 
noon  the  day  was  terrible,  with  tnick  clouds,  and  like  settled 
rain.  Yo\t  may  imagine  how  we  felt !  About  two  o'clock 
the  wind  bcfi^nn  to  change  from  the  south  to  the  westward ; 
Rlmut  three  it  was  west,  and  the  clouds  breaking.  There  was 
about  fotir  a  very  hard  thunder-shower,  and  calm  ;  after  which 
the  wind  began  to  blow  briskly  from  the  northwest ;  the  clouds 
blown  away,  and  those  near  the  horizon  depressed  and  held 
down ;  the  sun  shone  clearer  than  I  ever  saw  it,  and  not  a 
cloud  waH  to  be  seen  in  that  (luartor.  It  remained  so  till  after 
lK>th  contacts,  when,  not  half  a  minute  afterward,  small  flying 
clouds  passed  over  the  sun  !"t  The  interest  with  which  the 
unlearned  watched  the  event  appears  to  have  been  almost 
equal  to  that  of  the  individuals  who  more  fully  understood  its 


second  oontaets,  and  the  first  draught  of  some  general  observationa 
printed  in  the  Fhit.  Trans.,  as  cited  above. 

*  In  the  lapse  of  eiaht  years  several  changes  had  occurred,  and  the  list 
of  those  who  observed  this  plienomenon  is  considerably  diflbrent  Ihmi  the 
catalogue  given  in  a  fbrmer  page  (310).  Lord  Macclesfleld,  Messrs. 
Hornsby  and  Bartlett,  obaertred  at  Shirhum  Castle ;  Messrs.  Horslny, 
Cyril  Jackson,  Lucas,  Sykes,  and  Shuckburgh,  at  Oxford  ;  I>r.  Bevis  at 
Kew;  Canton  at  Spittal  Square  ;  Harris,  of  the  Mathematical  School  in 
Christ's  Hospital,  at  Windsor  Castle ;  Ludlani  at  Leicester ;  Francis 
Wollaston  at  East  •Dereham,  In  Norfblk ;  Prs.  Wilson,  Irvine,  and  Reid, 
at  Glasgow ;  Lord  Alemoor  sndDr.  Lind  at  Hawkhill,  near  Edinburgh ; 
Rev.  Mr.  Bryoe  at  Klrknewton ;  Mason  atCavan,  in  Ireland ;  Messier,  Du 
Sejour,  Cassini,  De  Fouchv,  Bailly.  De  Rory,  Maraldi,  Le  Monnier,  Fou- 

Eiiere,  (he  Duke  de  Chaulnes,  and  others,  in  various  parts  or  France ; 
ieutenant  Jardine  at  Gibraltar :  Ferner  at  Stockholm ;  Father  Hell  at 
Wardhuus;  Mallet  at  Ponoi,  in  Lapland ;  Rumonsky  at  Kola ;  Bnyleyat 
the  North  Cape ;  Wales  and  Dymond  at  Prince  of  Wales'  Fort,  Hudson's 
Bay ;  Wright  near  Quebec ;  Leeds  in  the  Province  of  Maryland ;  Smith, 
Ritterhouse,  and  others,  at  Norrlton,  Pennsylvsnia ;  Piiigri  at  Caps 
Francis,  St.  Domingo ;  Chappe  in  Callfbmia ;  Mohr  at  Batavia ;  Degloos 
at  Dinapoor,  and  Rose  at  Phesabad,  in  the  East  Indies;  Dr.  Soltnder. 
Mr,  Green,  and  Captain  Cook,  at  Otaheite. 
t  nUI.  TnuM.,  vd.  lix.,  p.  840. 


'■m 


bu- 


er. 


FiaiT   CIRCf7MNAVIOATfON   OP   COOK.     225 

importance.  At  CiUsgow,  "  it  wm  ftpprohended  thit  th« 
■moko  or  the  town  might  hurt  the  observationi ;  and,  to  (ira- 
vent  this  as  much  as  posaiblo,  an  advertisement  was  put  ia 
the  newspaper,  bogging  the  inhabitants,  in  cases  where  it 
would  not  bo  very  mconvoniont,  to  put  out  their  fires  from 
throe  o'clock  that  afternoon  till  sunsetting.**  This  request 
was  choorfuliy  complied  with,  **  insomuch  that  there  was  not 
a  spire  of  smoke  to  be  perceived  in  that  quarter  from  which  the 
observations  could  be  incommoded.'**  At  Philadelphia,  Dr. 
Smith  was  attended  by  a  great  concourse  of  people,  and,  afraid 
that  the  curiosity  natural  on  such  occasions  might  interrupt 
the  observations,  he  informed  them  that  success  depended  on 
there  not  beinff  the  least  noise  till  the  contacts  wore  over. 
"  And,"  says  the  doctor,  "  during  the  twelve  minutes  that  en- 
sued  before  the  first  contact,  there  could  not  have  been  a  more 
iolomn  pause  of  expectation  and  silence,  if  each  individual 
kad  stood  ready  to  receive  the  sentence  that  was  to  give  him 
Life  or  doath."t 

On  the  whole,  the  numerous  observations  were  satbfactory, 
and  the  results  deduced  from  them  scarcely  diflfered  more  than 
the  quarter  of  a  second  in  the  sun's  parallax,  which  they  de- 
termmed  to  be  8.6".  This  agrees  with  the  calculations  of  La 
Place,  deduced  from  the  lunar  equation  in  longitude;  but 
Professor  Bossol  having  combined  and  recomputed  the  origi- 
nal observations,  has  recently  introduced  a  small  correction, 
which  makes  the  parallax  to  be  only  8.675",  and  consequently 
the  moan  distance  of  the  sun  96,168,440  English  miles  ; 
while,  according  to  the  calculations  of  Encke,  the  parallax  is 
8.5776'',  and  the  distance  of  the  sun  95,130,640  miles. 

During  Cook's  observations  on  the  transit  at  Otabeite,  some 
of  the  crow  broke  into  a  storeroom  and  abstracted  a  hundred 
weight  of  spike-nails — a  thoft  of  a  serious  nature,  as  it  could 
not  fail  greatly  to  depreciate  the  value  of  the  coin  circulated 
among  the  natives.  One  of  the  depredators  was  detected  with 
part  of  the  stolen  goods  in  his  possession,  and  punished  with 
two  dozen  lashes  ;  but  he  refused  to  impeach  his  accomplices^ 
Monday,  the  6th  of  June,  was  celebrated  as  the  anniversary 
of  his  majesty's  birth,  and  several  of  the  chiefs  drank  to  the 
health  of  KihiargOf  as  they  pronounced  King  George. 

On  the  26th,  Cook,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Banks,  set  out  tp 


*  Phil  Trans.,  vol.Ux.,  p.  j33i. 


t  U»UL,  p.  309. 


!i 


i 


i 


N\ 


226     FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF  COOK. 

eircumnavigate  the  island,  and  that  day  visited  the  harbour  in 
which  Bougainville  had  lain,  where  they  saw  the  chief  Ereti 
or  Oretti,  mentioned  by  the  French  navigator,  and  were  in- 
formed that  Aotourou  was  his  brother.  At  night  he  reached 
the  isthmus  which  joins  the  two  peninsulas  of  Otaheite — ^the 
lesser  of  which,  it  was  ascertained,  bore  the  appellation  of  Ti- 
arrabou  or  Otaheite  £te,  and  had  a  chief  designated  Wahea^ 
tua  for  its  ruler ;  while  the  other,  called  Opoureonu  or  Ota« 
heite  Nue,  was  governed  by  a  youth  named  Ootoo  or  Outou, 
the  nephew  of  the  regent  Tootahah,  and  Oamo,  the  hus- 
band of  Oberea.  They  completed  the  circuit  of  the  whole  on 
the  1st  of  July,  and  estimated  its  circumference  at  about  thirty 
leagues. 

Soon  afterward  they  began  to  dismantle  their  fort,  on  which 
they  had  bestowed  the  name  of  Venus,  and  to  make  prepara- 
tions for  their  departure.  On  this  occasion,  we  discover  for 
the  first  time  an  instance  of  that  fascination  which  this  lovely 
island,  its  gentle  people,  and  their  manner  of  life,  have 
so  often  exerted  over  the  rude  hearts  of  uncultivated  men. 
Two  of  the  marines  stole  from  the  fort  on  the  night  of  the 
8th  of  July,  and,  as  was  gathered  from  the  natives,  nad  taken 
refuge  in  the  mountains,  with  the  intention  of  remaining  in 
the  country,  where  they  had  attached  themselves  to  wives. 
Cook  resolved  to  recover  them,  but  was  loath  to  terminate, 
by  any  rigorous  measures,  the  harmony  which  subsisted  be- 
tween him  and  the  islanders.  He  was  compelled,  however, 
to  detain  several  chiefs,  among  whom  was  Tootahah,  till  the 
deserters  should  be  brought  back.  General  alarm  was  the 
consequence ;  and  in  retaliation  two  petty  officers  were  seized, 
along  with  the  arms  of  two  moie ;  but  quiet  was  at  last  re- 
stored through  the  intervention  of  Tootsdiah,  who  gave  effec- 
tual orders  for  the  delivery  of  the  fugitives. 

On  the  12th,  a  native  of  the  name  of  Tupia,  a  priest  who 
had  been  first  minister  to  Oberea  when  in  the  height  of  her 
power,  came  on  board,  accompanied  by  a  boy,  who  was  his 
servant,  and  requested  leave  to  sail  with  the  voyagers — a 
wish  whicb  wcs  at  once  complied  with.  "  To  have  such  a 
person  on  board,"  says  the  lieutenant,  "  was  certainly  desi- 
rable for  many  reasons ;  by  learning  his  language,  and  teaching 
him  ours,  we  should  be  able  to  acquire  a  much  better  knowl- 
edge of  the  customs,  policy,  and  religion  of  thcpeople,  than 
our  short  stay  among  them  could  give  us."    Early  on  the 


« 


FIRST   CIRCVHNAVIOATION   OF   COOK.     227 


(i 


flucceeding  morning  the  ship  was  crowded  with  chiefs,  while 
the  sea  atound  was  thronged  with  the  canoes  of  the  inferior 
classes.  About  noon  the  anchor  was  weighed,  and  the  ves- 
sel getting  under  sail,  the  natives  on  board  took  their  leave, 
"  and  wept  with  a  decent  and  silent  sorrow,  in  which  there 
was  something  very  striking  and  tender ;  the  people  in  the 
canoes,  on  ^hc  contrary,  seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in  the 
loudness  of  their  lamentations,  which  we  considered  rather 
as  affectation  than  grief."^  In  this  scene  Tupia  evinced  great 
firmness ;  he  could  not  indeed  restrain  his  tears,  but  he  strug^ 
gled  to  conceal  them,  and,  having  sent  his  last  present  on 
shore,  cUmbod  to  the  mast-head,  where  he  continued  to  make 
signals,  till  the  winds  had  wafted  him  away  from  the  friends 
he  was  never  again  to  behold. 

Cook  first  directed  his  course  to  a  small  island  called  Tc 
thuroa,  about  eight  leagues  to  the  north  of  Otaheite ;  and  on 
the  14th  he  passed  two  others,  Eimeo  and  Tabuaemanu,  as' 
signed  by  Wallis  to  the  honour  of  the  Duke  of  York  and  Sir 
Charles  Saunders.  The  15th  was  hazy,  with  light  and 
changeable  winds,  and  little  way  was  made ;  Tupia  frequently 
prayed  to  his  god  Tane  for  a  favourable  gale ;  and  as  he 
never  began  his  address  till  he  perceived  that  a  breeze  was 
close  at  hand,  he  was  enabled  to  boast  of  his  influence  with 
his  deity.  At  length  a  gentle  wind  sprang  up,  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  16th  the  voyagers  were  close  to  an  island 
named  Huaheine,  about  seven  leagues  in  compass,  and  with 
a  hilly  and  uneven  surface.  Several  canoes  came  off,  'and 
in  one  of  them  was  Oree,  the  sovereign,  who,  with  frequent 
expressions  of  astonishment  and  wonder,  ventured  on  board ; 
and,  as  a  proof  of  amity,  exchanged  names  with  the  chiejf 
officer,  from  whom  he  received  several  presents,  among  which 
was  a  small  plate  of  pewter,  with  the  inscription,  "  His  Bri- 
tannic Majesty's  Ship  Endeavour,  Lieutenant  Cook,  Com- 
mander, 16th  July,  1769.  Huaheine."  Two  or  three  days 
were  passed  at  this  island,  the  inhabitants  of  v^hich,  though 
rather  stouter  and  of  larger  make,  in  other  respects  very 
closely  resembled  the  Otaheitans. 

A  sail  of  a  few  hours  brought  the  navigators  to  Ulietea  or 
Raiatea,  which  was  observed  to  be  enclosed  within  the  same 
reef  that  surrounded  Otaha,  and  several  lesser  islets.     A 

*  nawkesworth^s  Coll.,  vol  ti.,  p.  18f. 


228    HRST  CIRCXJHNAYIOATION   OT  COOB« 


nnall  low  island  seen  to  the  north  was  by  the  natives  called 
Tubal,  and  contained  only  three  families.  Sailing  a  shtMrt 
distance  to  the  northwestward,  on  the  29th  they  were  close 
under  the  hish  and  craggy  Peak  of  B^abola  or  Borabora; 
but,  finding  the  land  inaccessible  at  that  part,  they  stood  off 
to  weather  the  south  end.  The  next  morning  they  got  sight 
of  the  snwU  Island  Maurua,  and  afterward  anchored  on  the 
west  side  oi  UUetea,  for  the  purpose  of  stopping  a  leak  in  the 
powder-room  and  taking  in  more  ballast.  The  lieutenant 
embraced  the  opportumty  of  waiting  on  Opoony,  the  warlike 
sovereign  of  Bolabola,  wha  had  conquered  this  and  some  (tf 
the  neighbouring  countries.  From  the  reports  of  his  achieve- 
ments and  the  ternnr  in  which  he  was  held,  the  English  exr 
pected  to  behold  a  formidable  personage ;  but  there  appeared 
before  them  a  poor  weak  creature,  infirm,  decrepit,  and  slug- 
^sh,  half  biind  from  aee,  and  wholly  stupid.  To  ^e  six 
islandii  now  visited,  Ulietea,  Otaha,  .Bolabola,  Huaheine, 
Tubai,  and  Maurua,  with  their  dependant  islets.  Cook  gave 
the  name  of  Thk  Society  Islands,  by  which  they  are  stilt 
distinguished.  They  lie  between^  16°  10'  and  16°  65'  S. 
latitude,  and  160°  67'  and  162°  W.  longitude. 

Oheteroa,  considerably  to  the  south  or  southwest,  was 
reached  on  the  13th  of  August.  The  natives,  splendidly 
dressed  in  coloured  cloths  and  feathers,  stood  on  the  shore 
with  long  lances  and  clubs,  ready  to  oppose  a  landing.  At- 
tempts to  conciUate  them  were  fruitless;  and  the  commanding^ 
officer  having  satisfied  himself  that  no  safe  anchorage  could 
be  found,  determined  to  continue  his  course  to  the  southward. 
On  the  26th  the  voyagers  celebrated  the  anniversary  of  their 
departure  from  England,  "  by  taking  a  Cheshire  cheese  from 
a  locker,  where  it  had  been  carefully  treasured  up  for  this  oc- 
easion,  and  tappine  a  cask  of  porter,  which  proved  to  be  very 
good,  and  in  exedlent  order."*  On  the  29th  they  saw  the 
remarkable  comet  of  1769 ;  and  Tupia,  on  observing  it,  ex- 
claimed that  as  soon  as  it  should  be  seen  by  the  people  <^ 
Bolabola,  they  would  make  war  on  those  of  Ulietea,  and  drive 
them  to  the  mountains.  The  Endeavour  was  in  latitude  40° 
22^  S.,  and  longitude  174°  29'  W.,  on  the  1st  of  September, 
with  a  heavy  sea  from  the  westward,  and  no  signs  of  land. 
She  then  stood  northward,  and  on  the  24th  a  piece  of  seaweed 


aiM 
Ion 
on 


*  Hawkeswoith*R  Coll^  voIJ.,  p>S8i. 


FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK.     229 


and  a  bit  of  wood  were  observed  in  latitude  33°  13'  S.,  and 
longitude  162°  51'  W.  A  seal  was  seen  asleep  in  the  water 
on  the  27th,  and  three  days  after  innumerable  flocks  of  birds 
were  met  with.  On  the  5tb,  it  was  thought  that  there  was 
a  change  in  the  colour  of  the  water ;  and  at  last,  on  the  6th, 
land  was  seen  from  the  mast-head ;  in  the  erening  it  could 
be  descried  from  ihto  deck,  and  appeared  to  be  of  great  extent. 

As  the  voyagers  slowly  approached  on  the  succeeding  day, 
its  dimensions  still  increased  as  it  was  more  distinctly  seen. 
Four  or  five  ranges  of  hills  were  discerned  rising  one  above 
another,  while,  far  inland,  a  chain  of  mountains  of  vast  height 
towered  high  over  .«11.  Speculation  was  busy  in  conjectures 
on  this  great  country,  and  the  general  opinion  on  board  was, 
that  the  Terra  Australis  Incognita  was  at  length  discov- 
ered. As  thoy  drew  nearer,  they  could  see  that  the  hills  were 
clothed  with  wood,  and  that  the  valleys  sheltered  some  gigan- 
tic  trees ;  canoes  were  perceived  crossing  a  narrow  ^y ; 
houses  small  but  neatly  built  were  descried;  beside  one  of 
them  a  crowd  of  people  was  sitting  on  the  beach ;  and  much 
curiosity  was  excited  by  a  high  and  regular  paling  which  ap- 
peared to  enclose  the  summit  o^  a  hilL  In  the  evening,  Cook, 
Banks,  and  Solander  went  ashore  with  a  party,  and  endeav- 
oured to  open  a  friendly  communication  with  the  islanders, 
but  were  obliged  to  shoot  one  of  them  in  self-defence.  On 
examining  his  dress,  it  was  found  to  answer  the  representation 
given  in  an  account  of  Tasmania  Voyage  ;  and,  indeed,  our 
navigators  were  now  on  the  New  Zealand  of  that  discoverer,* 
but  on  the  opposite  coast  to  that  which  he  had  vinted. 

On  the  morning  of  the  next  day,  the  9th,  the  lieutenant 
again  rowed  to  the  beach,  and  found  about  fifty  of  the  natives 
waiting  his  landing.  They  started  from  the  ground,  and 
brandished  long  pikes  and  short  stone  weapons  ;  nor  did  they 
desist  from  defiance,  although  addressed  by  Tupia  in  the  Ota- 
heitan  tongue,  until  they  saw  the  effect  of  a  musket  in  stri- 
king the  water  at  a  distance.  As  soon  as  the  marines  were 
brought  up,  the  English  approached  ihe  savages,  when  their 
interpreter  again  spoke  to  them, "  and  it  was  with  great  pleas- 
ure," says  Cook,  **  that  we  perceived  he  was  perfectly  under- 
stood." They  expressed  their  willingness  to  trade  for  pro- 
visions and  water,  and  desired  the  strangers  to  cross  the  nver 


1 


*  See  above,  p.  107. 

u 


230    FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK. 


\«rhich  flowed  between ;  but  they  would  not  lav  down  their 
arms,  and  Tupia  saw  good  reason  for  advising  his  friends  to 
be  prepared  for  hostility.  The  islanders  being  in  turn  invited 
over,  first  one,  then  two,  and,  soon  after,  twenty  or  thirty,  al- 
most all  armed,  swam  across.  They  attempted  to  seize  the 
weapons  of  the  discoverers,  and,  though  assured  of  death  if 
they  persisted,  one  of  them  snatched  a  hanger,  with  which  he 
ran  off,  waving  it  round  his  head  in  exultation.  The  rest  now 
grew  more  insolent,  and  others  were  observed  coming  from 
the  opposite  bank  to  their  assistance.  It  was  judged  necessary 
to  take  some  measures  to  repress  them,  and  Mr.  Banks  accord- 
ingly fired  at  the  thief,  who  was  wounded,  but  still  retreated, 
though  more  slowly,  flourishing  the  cutlass  as  before.  Mr. 
Monxhouse  took  a  more  fatal  aim,  and  the  savage  dropped ; 
upon  which  the  main  body,  who  had  previously  retired  a  little, 
began  to  advance  ;  three  pieces,  loaded  only  with  small-shot, 
were  therefore  discharged,  when  they  again  fell  back,  and  went 
slowly  up  the  country — some  of  them  evidently  wounded. 

Cook,  intent  on  establishing  an  amicable  intercourse  with 
these  untractable  barbarians,  determined  to  make  some  of 
them  prisoners,  and  to  treat  them  with  kindness  in  the  hope  of 
inspiring  general  confidence.  Two  canoes  were  soon  after 
observed  coming  in  from  sea,  and  boats  were  despatched  to 
intercept  them  ;  but  they  endeavoured  to  escape,  regardless  of 
the  fair  promises  shouted  after  them  by  Tupia.  A  musket  was 
then  fired  over  their  heads,  in  the  hope  that  *'  it  would  either 
make  them  surrender  or  leap  into  the  water ;"  but  they  stripped 
for  the  combat,  and  assailed  their  pursuers  so  vigorously 
with  stones  and  other  missiles,  that  the  English  were  obliged 
to  fire.  Thei(  discharge  killed  four  men  ;  while  the  rest  of 
the  crew,  consisting  of  three  boys,  one  of  whom  offered  a  stout 
resistance,  were  made  captives.  Justice  to  the  memory  of 
Cook  requires  us  to  give  a  place  to  his  own  remarks  on  this 
most  unfortunate  incident : — "  I  am  conscious,"  he  says, 
*'  that  the  feeling  of  every  reader  of  humanity  will  censure  me 
for  having  fired  upon  these  unhappy  people  ;  and  it  is  impos- 
sible that,  upon  a  calm  review,  I  should  approve  it  myself. 
They  certainly  did  not  deserve  death  for  not  choosing  to  con- 
fide in  my  promises,  or  not  consenting  to  come  on  board  my 
boat,  even  if  they  had  apprehended  no  danger  ;  but  the  nature 
of  my  service  required  me  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  their  coun- 
tiy,  which  I  could  no  otherwise  effect  than  by  forcing  my  way 


m 


FIRST  CIRCUMNAYIOATION   OF   COOK.     231 


1 


mto  it  in  a  hostile  manner,  or  gaining  admission  through  the 
confidence  and  good-will  of  the  peojue.  I  had  already  tried 
the  power  of  presents  without  effect ;  and  I  was  now  prompt- 
ed, by  my  desire  to  avoid  further  hostilities,  to  get  some  of 
them  on  board,  as  the  only  method  left  of  convincing  them 
that  we  intended  them  no  harm,  and  had  it  in  our  power  to 
contribute  to  their  gratification  and  convenience.  Thus  far 
my  intentions  certainly  were  not  criminal ;  and  though  in  the 
contest,  which  I  had  not  the  least  reason  to  expect,  our  victory 
might  have  been  complete  without  so  great  an  expense  of  life, 
yet,  in  such  situations,  when  the  command  to  fire  has  been 
given,  no  man  can  restrain  its  excess,  or  prescribe  its  effect.'** 

On  being  brought  into  the  boat,  the  prisoners,  who  had 
squatted  down  in  expectation  of  death,  were  clothed  and  am- 
ply fed.  They  soon  became  quite  cheerful,  and  asked  ques- 
tions with  every  appearance  of  pleasure  and  curiosity;  but 
when  night  came  on  their  spirits  failed  them,  and  they  sighed 
often  aiM  loudly.  When  pacified  in  some  measure  by  Tupia, 
they  began  to  «ng  a  slow  mournful  song  to  an  air  much  re- 
sembling a  psalm-tune.  Daylight,  however,  and  another  co- 
pious meal  roused  them  to  cheerfulness ;  they  were  dressed 
and  decorated,  and  fell  into  transports  of  joy  when  assured 
that  they  would  be  restored  to  their  friends.  Being  at  first 
unwillingly  put  ashore  on  a  point  of  the  coast  which  they  said 
belonged  to  their  enemies,  who  would  certainly  kill  and  eat 
them,  they  had  soon  afterward  to  seek  protection  in  the  boat. 
When  landed  a  second  time,  they  waded  into  the  water,  and 
earnestly  requested  to  be  again  taken  on  board  ;  but  the  sailors 
had  positive  orders  to  leave  them,  and  they  were  in  a  short  time 
seen  to  join  some  of  their  associates.  To  the  bay  in  which 
these  transactions  took  place  Cook  gave  the  appellation  of 
Poverty — ^because  nothing  but  wood  could  be  obtained  :  ac- 
cording to  his  calculation,  it  was  in  lat.  38°  42'  S.,  and  long. 
181°  36'  W. 

Leaving  it  on  the  11th  of  October,  he  sailed  southward 
along  the  shore  for  six  days,  till  he  reached,  in  lat.  40°  34'  S., 
a  high  bluff  head  with  cliffs  of  a  yellow  teint,  on  which  he  be- 
stowed the  name  of  Cape  Tumagain.  Finding  no  suitable  har- 
bour, and  perceiving  that  the  country  manifestly  altered  for 
tiie  worse,  he  changed  his  course  to  the  northward,  and  in  two 

*  Hawkeswortb'fl  C!oll.,  vol.  il.,  p.  390. 


■-  •'        •  \-i 


232     FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK. 


*.. 


t'  1. 


days  passed  the  spot  where  he  first  made  the  coast.  Still 
pursuing  its  windings,  on  the  30th  he  doubled  a  high  promon- 
tory of  white  rocks,  which,  from  its  position,  he  called  East 
Cape.  He  now  found  the  land  trending  in  a  northwesterly 
direction ;  and  as  he  ran  along  it,  observed  increasing  signs  of 
cultivation  and  fertility.  The  next  day  a  number  of  skiffs  came 
off  crowded  with  warriors,  who  flourished  their  arms  and  uttered 
loud  shouts  of  defiance,  frequently  repeating  Haromai,  haromai, 
Jiarre  uta  a  peUoo-patoo  oge  !  "  Come  to  us,  come  on  shore, 
we  will  kill  you  all  with  our  patoo-patoos  [stone  hatchets]  !" 
In  the  flotilla  was  a  canoe,  by  far  the  largest  which  had  yet 
been  seen,  having  no  fewer  than  sixteen  paddles  on  each  side, 
and  containing  in  all  about  sixty  men.  It  was  making  directly 
for  the  ship,  when  a  gun,  loaded  with  grape,  was  fired  ahead 
of  it ;  this  caused  the  rowers  to  stop,  and  a  round  shot,  which 
was  fired  over  them,  falling  in  the  water,  filled  them  with  such 
terror  that  "  they  seized  their  paddles  and  made  towards  the 
shore  so  precipitately  that  they  seemed  scarcely  to  allow 
themselves  time  to  breathe."  The  spot  where  this  took  place 
was  named  Cape  Runaway ;  and  a  creek,  in  which  the  En- 
deavour anchored  three  days  after,  was  called  Mercury  Bay, 
from  an  observation  of  the  transit  of  that  planet  here  made. 
This  harbour  lay  in  latitude  36°  47'  S.,  longitude  184°  4'  W. ; 
and  Cook  did  not  quit  it  before  the  15th  of  November,  after 
taking  formal  possession  in  the  name  of  his  sovereign,  and  re- 
cording upon  a  tree  the  date  of  his  visit  to  the  country. 

The  coast  still  trended  northwestward,  and  as  he  sailed 
along,  he  kept  as  close  to  it  as  was  consistent  with  safety. 
On  the  26th  he  passed  a  remarkable  point,  which  he  named 
Cape  Brett,  and  three  days  after  anchored  in  a  creek  lying  to 
the  west  of  that  promontory,  which  received  the  title  of  the 
Bay  of  Islands.  He  did  not  leave  it  till  the  6th  of  December ; 
and  passing,  on  the  third  day,  a  harbour  on  which  he  bestowed 
the  appellation  of  Doubtless,  he  was  informed  by  the  na- 
tives, through  the  medium  of  Tupia,  that,  "  at  the  distance  of 
three  days'  rowing  in  their  canoes,  the  land  would  take  a  short 
turn  to  the  southward,  and  from  thence  extend  no  more  to 
the  west."  The  same  tribe  also  said  that  there  was  to  the 
northwest  a  large  country,  called  Ulimaroa,*  to  which  some 

*  "  Ulimaraa—qvm  fiiut  lire  sans  doute  Oudi'Mara,  peuple  d*un  lieu 
expose  i  la  chaleur  du  soieil."— Voyage  autour  du  Monde,  par  M^  J.  Du 
mont  D'Unrille  (8vo,  Paris,  1832),  tome  ii.,  p.  291. 


»K. 


iBt.     Still 
I  promon- 
Ued  East 
hwesterly 
I  signs  of 
dffs  came 
id  uttered 
haromai, 
on  shore, 
tchets]  !" 
1  had  yet 
tach  side, 
g  directly 
ed  ahead 
ot,  which 
ivith  such 
irards  the 
to  allow 
>ok  place 
the  £n- 
^iry  Bay, 
e  made. 

4'W.; 
•er,  after 

and  re- 

e  sailed 
1  safety. 
'  named 
lying  to 
I  of  the 
ember ; 
^stowed 
he  na- 
ance  of 

a  short 
lore  to 

to  the 
some 

Tun  lieu 
« J.  Du 


t   V 


FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF    COOK.     235 


people  had  once  sailed  in  a  very  large  canoe,  and  found  that 
its  inhabitants  ate  hogs.  On  the  17th,  after  encountering 
much  adverse  weather,  Cook  made  the  northern  extremity  of 
the  island,  which  he  named  North  Cape,  in  latitude  34°  22  S., 
and  longitude  186°  65'  W.*  He  stood  off  and  on  this  prom- 
ontory till  the  24th,  when  he  discovered  the  Three  Kings*  Isl- 
ands of  Tasman ;  and  on  the  30th  perceived  the  Cape  Maria 
Van  Diemen  of  the  same  navigator — ^the  northwestern  point 
of  the  country.  Two  remarkalue  circumstances  are  recorded 
by  Cook  as  occurring  while  he  sailed  round  the  extremity  of 
New  Zealand,  namely,  that  in  latitude  35°  south,  in  the  midst 
of  summer,  there  was  a  gale  of  wind,  such  as,  for  strength  and 
continuance,  he  had  scarcely  ever  experienced  before ;  and 
that  five  weeks  were  spent  in  getting  fifty  leagues  to  the  west- 
ward— no  less  than  three  of  them  in  msJung  only  ten.  Hap- 
pily, during  the  storm,  his  ship  was  far  from  land — "  other- 
wise," he  says  "  it  is  highly  probable  that  we  should  never 
have  returned  to  relate  our  adventures." 

From  Cape  Maria,  the  coast  was  found  to  stretch  nearly 
southeast  by  south,  and  to  present  everywhere  a  barren  shore, 
consisting  of  banks  of  white  sand.  In  proceeding  along  it, 
Cook  saued  in  the  track  of  Tasman,  though  in  an  opposite 
direction.  On  the  10th  January,  1770,  he  came  in  si^t  of  a 
lofty  mountain,  in  latitude  39°  16'  S.,  longitude  185°  16'  W., 
which,  in  honour  of  the  earl  of  that  name,  he  designated 
Mount  Egmont.  In  appearance  it  resembled  the  Peak  of 
Teneriffe ;  and  its  summit,  when  occasionally  seen  towering 
above  the  clouds  which  almost  constantly  enveloped  it,  was 
observed  to  be  covered  with  snow.  The  country  at  its  base  was 
level,  of  a  pleasant  appearance,  and  thickly  clothed  with  wood 
and  verdure.  On  doubling  a  cape,  which  received  the  same 
title,  he  found  himself  in  a  large  bay  or  opening,  the  southern 
end  of  which  he  could  not  distinguish.  He  sailed  into  it  as 
far  as  latitude  40°  it  S.,  longitude  184°  39'  W.  In  this 
position,  besides  the  continuance  of  the  same  coast,  there  ap- 
peared an  island  towards  the  south,  with  several  inlets,  in  one 
of  which  he  resolved  to  careen  the  ship  and  take  in  a  stock  of 
wood  and  water.    On  the  15th,  accordingly,  he  anchored  in 

*  Another  Eoropean  vessel  was  at  this  time  off  the  coast  of  New  ZeS' 
land— that  of  M.  de  SurvUle  (see  above,  p.  107).  The  Doabtleee  Bay  of 
Cook  aeeros  to  be  the  same  with  that  which  the  French  navigator,  in 
honour  of  Law,  the  celebrated  pN{}ector,  desifnated  Laorlstoo. 


236      FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF   COOK. 


a  convenient  harbour,  about  four  long  cannon-shot  from  a  for- 
tified  village,  the  inhabitants  of  which  came  off  in  canoes,  and, 
after  surveying  the  ship,  made  signs  of  defiance,  and  began 
the  assault  by  a  shower  of  stones.  Tupia  having  expostulated 
with  them,  an  old  man  came  on  board,  in  spite  of  his  country- 
men's remonstrances.  He  was  kindly  received,  and  dismissed 
with  presents,  and  on  rejoining  his  companions^  they  immedi- 
ately commenced  dancing,  in  token  of  peace.  The  Otaheitan 
was  sufficiently  understood  by  them,  and  learned  that  they 
had  never  before  seen  or  heard  of  such  a  vessel  as  the  En- 
deavour ;  from  which  it  was  concluded  that  no  recollection 
was  preserved  of  the  visit  of  Tasman,  in  1642,  though  this 
must  have  been  near  the  place  which  he  termed  Murderers' 
Bay.  I 

During  his  stay  here.  Cook,  having  ascended  one  of  the 
neighbouring  hills,  beheld,  to  his  surprise,  the  sea  on  each  side 
of  the  island  communicating  by  a  passage  or  strait,  on  the 
south  side  of  which  his  ship  now  lay.  He  soon  after  learned, 
what  he  had  never  before  suspected,  that  the  country  was  di- 
vided into  two  islands,  the  southern  of  which  was  called  by 
the  natives  Tavai  Poenammoo,  and  the  northern  Eaheinomau- 
we.*  Having  taken  possession  of  the  country  in  name  of  his 
sovereign,  he  left  the  inlet  (on  which  he  bestowed  the  appella- 
tion of  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound)  on  the  6th  of  February,  and 
soon  found  himself  rapidly  borne  through  the  channel,  which, 
in  honour  of  its  discoverer,  geographers  have  unanimously 
recognised  by  the  name  of  Cook's  Straits.  To  the  two  capes 
which  marked  its  eastern  outlet  he  gave  the  titles  of  Palliser 
and  Campbell,  and  on  doubling  the  former  he  stood  to  the 
northward,  to  determine  a  question  on  which  there  were  some 
doubts,  whether  Eaheinomauwe  was  really  an  island.  On  the 
9th  he  came  in  sight  of  Cape  Tumagain  (termed  by  the 
natives  Topplo-Polo),  and  the  point  being  thus  clearly  estab- 
lished, he  resumed  hj".  course  to  the  southeast ;  and  running 
quickly  along  the  shores  of  Tavai  Poenammoo,  on  the  9th  of 
March  reached  its  farthest  extremity,  in  latitude  47*^  19'  S., 
longitude  192°  12'  W.,  which  he  named  Cape  South,  t    A 

*  M.  Dumont  D'Urville,  in  Januar}',  1827,  was  assured  by  two  natives 
that  the  southern  island  bore  indifferently  the  title  of  Kal-Kohoura  or 
Taval'Pounamou ;  and  that  the  northern  was  called  Ika<Na-Mawi.<— 
Voyage  autour  du  Monde,  tome  ii.,  p.  8U. 

t  "  Le  cap  Bud  de  Cook  forme  aujourd'hui  la  poiiite  la  plus  australe 
d'uue  ile  qui  a  pris  le  mm  de  Stewart,  et  qui  s'est  trouv^e  detaches  de 


FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OP   COOK.     237 


9' 


sail  of  three  days  brought  him  to  Cape  West,  in  latitude  45*^ 
54'  S.,  and  longitude  193°  17'  W.,  from  which,  along  a  coast 
trending  towards  the  northeast,  he  proceeded  so  rapidly,  that 
on  the  Isth  he  reached  a  small  island  at  the  entrance  of  Queen 
Charlotte's  Sound. 

Having  now  completely  circumnavigated  New  Zealand,  and 
being  resolved  to  return  home,  Cook  considered  it  proper  to 
take  the  opinion  of  his  officers  on  the  route  to  be  pursued. 
His  own  wish  was  to  go  back  by  Cape  Horn,  and  thus  deter- 
mine the  question  of  a  southern  continent ;  but,  to  effect  this, 
it  would  have  been  necessary  to  keep  in  a  high  southern  lati- 
tude in  the  very  depth  of  winter — an  undertaking  for  .which 
the  vessel  was  insufficient.  The  same  objection  was  urged 
against  proceeding  directly  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  ;  and 
"  it  was  therefore  resolved,"  says  our  navigator,  "  that  we 
should  return  by  the  East  Indies,  and  that  with  this  view  we 
should,  upon  leaving  the  coast,  steer  westward  till  we  should 
fall  in  with  the  east  coast  of  New  Holland,  and  then  follow 
the  direction  of  that  coast  to  the  northward  till  we  should  ar- 
rive at  its  northern  extremity ;  but  if  that  should  be  found 
impracticable,  it  was  further  resolved  that  we  should  endeavour 
to  fall  in  with  the  land  or  islands  said  to  have  been  discovered 
by  Quiros."* 

With  this  view,  at  dawn  of  the  31st  March,  Cook  put  to 
sea  with  a  fresh  gale,  and  took  his  departure  from  a  point 
which  he  named  Cape  Farewell  His  course,  which  lay  al- 
most due  west,  between  the  latitudes  of  38^  and  40<>,  was 
nearly  coincident  with  that  of  Tasman  from  Van  Diemen's 
Land  to  New  Zealand.  On  the  15th  of  April  the  voyagers 
observed  an  egg-bird  and  a  gannet,  and  on  the  next  day  a 
small  land-bird  alighted  on  the  rigging,  but  no  bottom  was 
found  with  120  fathoms.  A  pintado-bird  and  two  Port  Eg- 
mont  hens  were  seen  on  the  succeeding  morning,  and  were 
considered  certain  signs  of  the  vicinity  of  land,  which  indeed 
was  discovered  on  the  following  day,  the  19th,  stretching  from 
northeast  to  west. 

The  most  southerly  point,  which  received  the  name  of  Lieu- 
tenant Hicks,  who  first  descried  it,  was  estimated  to  lie  in 
latitude  38°  S.,  and  longitude  211°  7'  W.  ;  but  Cook  could 

Taval-Pounamou  par  la  dicouverte  du  d^troit  de  Foveaux." — D'Unrille 
tome  ii.,  p.  339 ;  M.  Balbi,  Abr^K^  de  G^ographie,  p.  1269. 
*  Hawkesworth's  Coll.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  29.    See  above,  p.  89-8S. 


238      FIRST   CIRCVMNAVIQATION   OF   COOK. 


not  dctermino  whether  it  joined  Van  Diomen'ii  Land.  Ho  in- 
stantly made  Rail  to  the  northward,  and  on  the  88th  was  in 
latitude  34^'  8.,  when  he  discovered  a  bay,  in  which  he  re- 
mained eight  days.  The  coaat,  so  far  as  yet  vinited,  was  of 
a  pleasing  aspect,  diversiHed  by  hills,  valleys,  and  lawns,  and 
almost  everywhere  clothed  with  lofty  trees.  Smoke  arose 
from  the  woods  in  several  places,  and  some  inhabitants,  four 
of  whom  carried  a  small  canoe  upon  their  shoulders,  were  ob- 
served walking  briskly  along  the  shore ;  but,  owing  to  the 
•urf  which  broke  on  every  part  of  the  beach,  it  was  unpossi- 
ble  to  approach  them.  On  entering  the  bay,  a  few  huts  and 
several  natives  were  seen  ;  four  small  canoes  were  likewise 
discerned,  with  one  man  in  each,  so  busily  occupied  in  stri- 
king fish  with  a  long  spear  that  they  scarcely  turned  their  eyes 
towards  the  ship,  which  passed  them  within  a  quarter  of  a 
mile.  The  anchor  being  cast  in  front  of  a  village,  prepara- 
tion was  made  for  hoisting  out  a  boat ;  during  which  an  aged 
female,  followed  by  three  children,  issued  from  a  wood.  They 
were  loaded  with  boughs,  and  on  approaching  a  hut,  three 
younger  infants  advanced  to  meet  them ;  but  though  they 
often  looked  at  the  ship,  they  expressed  neither  fear  nor  wonder. 
The  same  want  of  interest  wras  sliown  by  the  four  fishermen, 
who  hauled  up  their  canoes,  and  began  to  dress  their  food  at 
the  fke  which  the  old  woman  had  kindled.  A  party  were  sent 
out  to  effect  a  landing ;  but  no  sooner  had  they  approached 
some  rocks  than  two  of  the  men,  armed  with  lances  about  ten 
feet  long,  and  short  sticks,  which  it  was  supposed  they  em- 
ployed in  throwing  their  spears,  came  down  and  called  aloud  in 
a  harsh  language  quite  unknown  to  Tupia,  brandishing  their 
weapons,  in  evidence  of  their  determination  to  defend  the 
coast.  The  rest^ran  off,  abandoning  their  countrymen  to  an 
odds  of  forty  to  two.  Having  ordered  his  boat  to  lie  on  her 
oars,  Cook  made  signs  of  friendship,  and  offered  presents  of 
nails  and  other  trifles,  with  which  the  savages  seemed  to  be 
pleased  ;  but,  on  the  first  symptom  of  a  nearer  approach  to 
the  shore,  they  again  assumed  a  hostile  bearing.  A  musket 
was  fired  between  them,  the  report  of  which  caused  the 
younger  to  drop  a  bundle  of  lances,  which  he  again  snatched 
up,  and  a  stone  was  thrown  at  the  English.  Cook  now  di- 
rected small  shot  to  be  used ;  when  the  elder,  being  struck 
on  the  leg,  ran  to  a  hut,  from  which,  however,  he  instantly  re* 
turned  bearing  a  sort  of  shield ;  when  he  and  his  comrade 


FIRIT   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK.     239 


threw  each  •  lance,  but  without  inflicting  injury.  The  fire  of 
a  third  muBkot  was  fotlowod  by  the  diHcbargo  of  another 
■pear ;  after  which  thn  savages  ran  off.  It  was  fonnd  that  the 
children  had  hidden  themselves  in  one  of  the  hut«  ;  and,  with- 
out disturbing  them,  Cook,  having  left  some  beads  and  other 
articles,  retired  with  all  the  lances  ne  could  find.  Next  morn- 
ing not  one  of  the  trinkets  had  been  moved,  nor  was  a  single 
native  to  be  seen  near  the  spot. 

Small  |)arties  were  met  with  at  other  places  during  the  ex- 
cursions m  search  of  water,  provisions,  and  natural  curiosities. 
The  people  were  perfectly  naked,  very  dark  coloured,  but 
not  black  ;  their  hair  was  bushy,  and  some  very  old  men  were 
observed  with  long  beards,  while  the  aged  females  had  their 
locks  cropped  short.  They  subsisted  chiefly  on  fish,  dressed 
at  fires  both  on  shore  and  in  their  canoes.  The  country  was 
stocked  with  wood,  of  which,  however,  only  two  kinds  were 
thought  worthy  of  the  appellation  of  timber ;  shrubs,  palms, 
mangroves,  and  a  variety  of  plants — many  unknown  to  the 
naturalists — were  plentiful ;  birds,  some  of  great  beauty, 
abounded  ;  and  there  were  several  strange  quadrupeds.  Such, 
to  its  first  European  visiters,  appeared  the  characteristics  of 
Botany  Bay,  so  called  from  the  profusion  of  plants  with 
which,  through  the  industry  of  Messrs.  Banks  and  Solander, 
that  department  of  natural  history  was  enriched.  To  a  har- 
bour about  three  miles  farther  north,  "  in  which  there  appeared 
to  be  good  anchorage,"  Cook  gave  the  title  of  Port  Jackson — 
a  name  which  has  become  familiar  in  every  quarter  of  the 
world.  On  the  banks  of  this  noble  inlet  have  risen  the  towns 
of  Sydney  and  Paramatta,  and  its  waters,  on  which  1000  ships 
of  the  line  might  ride  in  safety,  are  whitened  by  th^  sails  of 
almost  every  people  of  Europe. 

•  On  the  6th  May  our  navigator  resumed  his  pro^^ess  north- 
ward along  the  coast,  and  in  about  a  month  h*d  advanced 
nearly  1300  miles.  On  the  10th  of  June  he  was  off  a  point 
which  he  afterward  named  Cape  Tribulation,  m  latitude  16^ 
6'  S.,  and  longitude  214°  39  W.,  near  the  position  assigned 
to  some  of  the  discoveries  of  Quiros,  which  certain  geogra- 
phers were  of  opinion  formed  part  of  some  great  mainland. 
With  a  view  to  see  whether  there  were  any  in  the  ofiing,  and 
to  avoid  two  low  woody  islets  ahead,  hie  hauled  from  the 
shore,  intending  to  stretch  out  all  night,  with  the  prospect  of 
a  fine  breeze  and  clear  moonlight.      About  9  o'clock,  the 


240     FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK. 

water,  which  had  deepened  from  fourteen  to  twenty-one  fath- 
oms, suddenly  shoaled,  and,  within  the  space  of  a  few  minutes, 
fell  to  twelve,  ten,  and  eight.     Preparation  was  immediately 
made  for  putting  about  and  coming  to  anchor  ;  but  the  next 
cast  of  the  line  showing  deep  water,  it  was  thought  the  vessel 
had  got  over  the  shoals.     Full  twenty  fathoms  were  next 
sounded,  and  the  depth  continued  to  increase ;  so  that  the 
gentlemen  who  had  been  summoned  on  deck  retired  to  bed  in 
perfect  security.     A  few  miimtes  before  1 1  o'block,  however, 
the  water  shallowed  suddenly  to  seventeen  fathoms,  and,  be- 
fore the  lead  could  be  again  cast,  the  Endeavour  struck  on  a 
xock,  and  remained  immoveable  except  by  the  heaving  of  the 
surge.     Boats  being  immediately  hoisted  out,  it  was  found 
that  she  had  been  lifted  over  a  ledge,  and  now  lay  in  a  sort  of 
basin,  with  only  from  three  to  four  fathoms  of  water  in  some 
places,  and  in  others  not  so  many  feet.     An  anchor  was  car- 
ried out  from  the  stem,  in  hopes  that  it  would  take  ground 
with  sufficient  firmness  to  resist  the  action  of  the  capstan,*^  so 
that  the  ship  might  be  moved  into  deep  water ;  but  every  ex- 
ertion to  effect  this  was  fruitless.     Meanwhile  the  vessel  beat 
on  the  rocks  with  such  violence,  that  the  crew  could  scarcely 
keep  their  footing;  and  to  increase  their  dismay  the  light  of 
the  moon  showed  them  that  the  sheathing-boards  had  been 
separated  from  the  bottom,  and  were  floating  around.     The 
false  keel  followed,  so  that  the  only  chance  of  safety  seemed 
to  lie  in  lightening  the  ship.     But  she  had  struck  at  the  height 
of  the  tide,  which  was  now  fallen  considerably,  and  the  next 
flow  must  return  before  that  process  could  be  of  any  advan- 
tage.    That  all  might  be  in  readiness,  however,  the  water 
was  started  in  the  hold  and  pumped  up ;  all  the  g'^ns  on  deck, 
the  iron  and  stone  ballast,  casks,  and  many  CtHer  articles^ 
were  thrown  overboard  ;  while  the  crew  became  so  impressed 
with  their  danger  that  not  an  oath  was  heard — '*  the  habit  of 
profaneness,  however  strong,  being  instantly  subdued  by  the 
dread  of  incurring  guilt  when  death  seemed  to  be  so  near.'* 

At  daybreak  land  was  seen  about  eight  leagues  off;  the 
ship  still  held  together ;  and  the  wind  having  happily  fallen, 
and  a  dead  calm  ensuing,  anchors  were  got  out  and  every 
thing  prepared  for  heaving  her  off  the  rock ;  but,  though  light- 
ened nearly  fifty  tons,  she  did  not  float  by  a  foot  and  a  hall,  so 
far  short  was  the  tide  of  the  day  from  that  of  the  night. 
Greatly  discouraged,  the  crew  proceeded  to  diminish  ker 


•    [ 


FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIOATION   OF  GOOK.     341 


»ne  fath- 
ninutes, 
ediately 
;he  next 
le  vessel 
;re  next 
that  the 
o  bed  in 
lowever, 
and,  be- 
ack  on  a 
ig  of  the 
18  found 
a  sort  of 
in  some 
was  car- 
}  ground 
pstan,«^  so 
jvery  ex- 
ssel  beat 
scarcely 
ight  of 
Lad  been 
The 
seemed 
height 
le  next 
advan- 
le  water 
on  deck, 
articles, 
pressed 
labit  of 
by  the 
lear 
off; 


»» 


the 
fallen, 
I  every 
h  light- 
hm,  so 
I  night, 
ish  ker 


weight  still  more,  by  throwing  overboard  every  thing  that  could 
be  spared;    but  now  the  water,  hitherto  nearly  excluded, 
rushed  in  so  fast,  that  two  pumps,  incessantly  working,  could 
barely  keep  her  afloat ;  and  about  two  o'clock  she  lay  heeling 
to  starboard,  while  the  pinnace,  which  was  under  her  bow8« 
touched  the  ^ound.     There  could,  therefore,  be  no  hope  of 
getting  her  on  till  the  midnight  tide,  which  began  to  rise  by 
five  iP.  M.     About  that  time  the  leak  was  observed  to  be  rap 
idly  increasing;  and  though  by  nine  the  ship  righted,  the 
water,  notwithstanding  the  action  of  three  pumps,  gained  con- 
siderably.    Shortly  after  ten  she  floated,  and  was  heaved  clear 
from  the  ledge  into  deep  water.     The  labour  at  the  pumjM 
had  now  totally  exhausted  the  men,  lione  of  whom  could  work 
beyond  a  few  minutes,  when,  falling  down  on  the  deck,  their 
places  were  supplied  by  others.     Still  they  gained  so  consid- 
erably on  the  water,  that,  by  the  following  morning,  no  doubt 
was  entertained  of  the  ship's  ultimate  ssiiety.     As  the  leak, 
however,  continued,  and  the  toil  of  pumping  was  excessive^ 
Mr.  Monkhouse,  who  had  formerly  been  in  like  danger,  sug- 
gested the  expedient  oifothering  the  vessel-^that  is,  girthing 
round  the  bottom  a  sail  properly  covered  with  oakum,  and 
kept  stretched  by  means  of  ropes.     It  was  tried,  and  answered 
do  well,  that  the  use  of  two  pumps  could  now  be  dispensed 
with.   'On  the  evening  of  the  12th  they  cast  anchor  about 
seven  leagues  from  the  land ;  but  it  was  not  till  the  17th  that, 
ti  safe  harbour  having  been  found,  the  ship  was  hauled  ashore 
to  undergo  repairs.     It  was  then  discovered  that  her  preserva- 
tion was  due  to  a  very  singular  circumstance.     "  One  of  the 
holes,**  says  the  commander,  "  which  was  big  enough  to  have 
sunk  us  if  we  had  had  eight  pumps  instead  of  four,  and  had 
been  able  to  keep  them  incessantly  going,  was  in  great  meas- 
ure plugged  up  by  a  fragment  of  the  rock,  which,  after  having 
made  the  wound,  was  left  sticking  in  it ;  so  that  the  water 
which  at  first  had  gained  upon  our  pumps  was  what  came  in 
at  the  interstices  between  the  stone  and  the  edges  of  the  hole 
that  received  it."* 

A  small  stream  near  the  spot  where  the  vessel  was  refitted 
received  the  name  of  Endeavour  River.  Here,  for  the  first 
time.  Cook  himself  obtained  a  sight  of  the  kangaroo,  a  species 
t>f  quadruped  before  that  time  unknown  to  European  natural- 

*  Hawk^worttt'i  CMI.>  vol.  Ul.,  p.  Ifft 


242     FIRST  CtRCITMNAyiGATION  OF  COOK. 


^ 


ists.  It  had  previously  been  observed  by  some  of  his  compan- 
ions,  and  astonished  them  by  its  extraordinary  leaps,  the  speed 
of  which  set  a  greyhound  belonging  to  Mr.  Banks  at  defiance. 
It  was  described  by  one  of  the  sailors,  who  ahnost  took  it  for 
the  devil,  to  be  '*  as  large  as  a  one-gallon  keg,  and  very  like 
it ;  he  had  horns  and  wings,  yet  he  crept  so  slowly  through 
the  grass,  that  if  I  had  not  been  afeard  1  might  have  touched 
him." 

The  navigators  left  this  spot  on  the  6th  August,  with  the 
resolutron  of  pursuing  a  northeast  course,  and  keeping  the* 
pinnace  in  front  to  guide  them  by  signals;  but  they  were 
speedily  compelled  to  cast  anchor  by  sudden  shoal  water. 
On  the  following  day  nothing  was  in  view  but  breakers  ex- 
tending on  all  sides,  and  far  out  to  the  open  sea,  into  which 
there  seemed  no  entrance,  except  through  a  labyrinth  of  coral 
rocks,  in  some  parts  as  steep  as  a  wall,  at  others  edged  with 
patches  of  sand,  covered  only  at  high  water.  Nearly  a  week 
passed  among  these  and  other  perus,  when,  getting  between 
the  mainland  and  three  small  islands,  they  thought  they 
had  discovered  a  clear  opening.  But  the  appellation  Cape 
Flattery  denotes  its  deceptive  promise,  and  they  still  found 
themselves  obliged  to  keep  near  the  shore.  After  a  few  days^ 
they  reached  a  channel  which  conducted  them  beyond  the 
breakers. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  16th  they  were  alarmed  by 
the  roaring  of  the  surf,  which  at  dawn  they  saw  foaming  to  a 
vast  height  at  about  a  mile's  distance ;  while  the  depth  waai 
80  great,  that  they  could  not  reach  the  ground  with  an  anchor. 
In  the  absentc  of  wind  to  fill  a  sail,  tne  waves  drove  them 
rapidly  towards  the  reef.  Boats  were  immediately  sent  ahead 
to  tow  the  ves««l  off,  but  they  would  have  failed  to  save  her 
had  not  a  Ught  breeze  moved  her  obliquely  from  the  reef  when 
she  was  within  100  yards  of  it.  In  less  than  ten  minutes  the 
wind  again  fell,  and  the  ship  was  driven  towards  the  breakers ; 
it  once  more  sprung  up,  and  a  short  space  was  gained. 
Meanwhile  an  opening  appeared  in  the  reef,  by  which,  though 
not  broadfir  than  the  length  of  the  vessel,  it  was  determined 
to  attempt  a  passage  into  the  smooth  water  behind.  But, 
before  it  could  be  reached,  the  tide  of  ebb  rushed  out  of  it 
like  a  mill-stream,  and  drove  her  off.  This,  though  a  con- 
siderable disappointment,  enabled  the  navigators,  with  much 
exertion,  to  make  an  offing  of  nearly  two  miles.    Their  situ- 


I 


i 


FIRST  OIRCVMNAYIQATION   OF  COOR.     349 


ation  was  nevertheless  critical  in  the  extreme,  till  another 
narrow  opening  was  seen  to  the  west,  throng  which  they 
were  hurried  with  amazing  n4>idity ;  and  shortly  afterward 
cast  anchor  within  the  reef  m  nineteen  fathoms,  gratefully 
naming  the  passage  through  which  they  had  escapra  ProTi- 
dential  Channel. 

On  the  21st  Cook  made  York  Cape,  the  most  northerly 
point  of  the  coast,  in  latitude  10°  37'  S.,  longitude  SIS^'  24' 
W. ;  and  having  landed  on  a  small  island,  he  hoisted  the 
English  colours,  and  took  possession  of  the  whole  eastern 
coast  of  New  Holland,  from  latitude  99^  to  latitude  10l<*  S.( 
by  the  name  of  Nkw  Soutu  Walks. 

The  discovery  made  by  the  companion  of  Quiros,  in  1606, 
of  the  strait  between  Piqpua  and  Australia,  was,  as  has  been 
already  lu.  rtioned,  at  this  time  entirely  forgotten  ;*  and  Cook» 
in  sailit  .een  them,  settled  the  much-agitated  question^ 

"  WheW  ..  ^  'jw  Holland  and  New  Guinea  were  separate 
islands  V'  To  the  channel  which  divides  them  he  gave  the 
name  of  his  ship,  by  which  it  is  sometimes  recognised,  al- 
though more  commonly  known  by  the  name  of  its  first  ex- 
plorer, Torres.  Its  length,  from  northeast  to  southwest, 
was  reckoned  ten  leagues ;  and  its  breadth  five,  except  at  the 
northeast  entrance,  where  it  was  contracted  to  less  than  two 
miles  by  certain  islands.  The  voyagers  left  it  on  the  28d  of 
August,  and  two  days  after  had  a  narrow  esci^pe  firom  some 
shoals,  which  they  approached  within  half  a  cable's  length. 
On  the  3d  of  September  they  landed  on  New  Guinea,  near 
the  Cape  de  la  Colta  St.  Bonaventura,  in  latitude  6°  IM'  S. 
The  natives  resembled  those  of  Australia,  but  their  skin  was 
not  so  dark ;  they  were  equally  naked,  quite  as  hostile,  and 
in  possession  of  a  species  of  firearms  which  emitted  flame 
and  smoke  like  a  musket ;  but  the  short  sticks  firom  which 
these  issued,  and  which  were  swung  sidewise  from  the  bearer, 
made  no  report.  It  was  uncertain  if  they  projected  any  thing 
that  could  do  mischief  at  a  distance ;  for  the  whole  phenom- 
enon, thou^  it  excited  wonder  at  t^e  time,  was  imperfectly 
observed ;  nor  are  we  aware  that  it  has  since  bees  satisfac- 
torily explained. 

Our  navigator  now  determined  to  proceed  westward  towards 
the  Straits  of  Sunda.    On  the  9th  he  came  in  sight  of  Timor, 

*8esabove.p.80,9S,  101,  l»,aiulSQO.  ,     . 


244     FIRST   CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF   COOK. 


and  six  days  after  anchored  at  Savu,  or  Sou,  an  island  to  th» 
west  southwest,  colonized  by  the  Dutch,  who  succeeded  the 
Portuguese  in  its  occupation,  but  at  the  time  so  little  known 
to  Europeans,  that  Cook  considered  it  as  a  new  discovery. 
Leaving  it  on  the  21st  of  September,  he  came  to  anchor  on 
the  9th  of  the  following  month  in  the  road  of  Batavia,  where 
it  was  intended  to  repair  the  vessel.  On  their  arrival,  all  the 
ship's  company,  except  the  Otaheitan,  were  in  good  health,, 
and  even  he,  delighted  with  every  thing  he  saw,  continued 
for  a  few  days  to  improve  in  strength  and  spirits.  But,  soon 
after,  Tupia  and  others  became  alarmingly  indisposed,  and  in 
a  short  space  the  sickness  spread  so  much  that  only  a  very 
■mall  number  could  perform  duty.  Mr.  Monkhouse,  the  sur- 
geon, was  the  first  victim  to  this  pestilential  spot ;  Dr.  So-^ 
Mnder  was  barely  able  to  attend  his  funeral ;  Mr.  Banks  lay 
confined  to  bed  ;  some  of  his  servants  were  dangerous^  af- 
fected ;  Tupia  and  his  boy  were  evidently  sinking  apace ;  Cook 
himself  was  taken  ill :  in  short,  the  work  of  death  had  com- 
menced, and  threatened,  if  not  speedily  arrested,  to  overtake 
the  whole.  Before  the  Endeavour  took  her  departure,  on  the 
26th  of  December,  seven  of  her  complement  had  died,  and  the 
number  of  sick  amounted  to  forty.  Among  the  deceased 
were  Tayeto  and  his  kind  protector  Tupia,  "  who  sunk  at 
once  after  the  loss  of  the  boy,  whom  he  loved  with  the  ten- 
derness of  a  parent."  On  inspecting  the  ship,  it  was  found 
that  two  planks  and  the  half  of  a  third,  under  the  main  chan^ 
ncl,  near  the  keel,  had  the  extent  of  six  feet  so  worn,  as  not 
to  be  above  the  eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness ;  and  even  this 
gauze-like  partition,  on  which  the  lives  of  so  many  had  de- 
pended, was  perforated  by  worms. 

The  remainder  of  the  voyage  was  marked  by  an  alarming 
mortality,  the  seeds  of  which  were  no  doubt  sown  at  Batavia. 
In  the  run  from  the  western  mouth  of  the  Straits  of  Sunda  to 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  which  was  reached  on  the  15th  of 
March,  1771,  few  nights  passed  without  a  corpse  being  com- 
mitted to  the  deep,  and  those  still  able  to  move  could  not 
answer  the  demands  of  the  sick.  In  the  course  of  six  weeks, 
the  pestilence  carried  off  Messrs.  Sporing  and  Parkinson, 
both  in  the  establishment  of  Mr.  Banks ;  Mr.  Green,  the  as- 
tronomer, and  various  others  ;  in  all  twenty-three  persons^ 
besides  the  seven  who  died  at  Batavia,  and  Mr.  Hicks,  thei 
fycBt  lieutenant,  who  soon  after  fell  a  victim  to  consumption.. 


}u 


FIRST   CIRCUMNAYIOATION   OF  COOK.     245 

The  Endeavour  left  the  Cape  on  the  14th  of  April,  and  on 
the  12th  of  June  came  to  anchor  in  the  Downs. 

This  memorable  voyage  excited  among  all  classes  the  most 
intense  interest.  "  Iv'  wrote  Linnaeus,  from  Upsal,  "  I  were 
not  bound  fast  here  by  sixty-four  years  of  age,  and  a  worn-out 
body,  I  would  this  very  day  set  out  for  l^ndon,  to  see  my 
/dear  Solander — that  great  hero  of  botany.  Moses  was  not 
permitted  to  enter  Puestine,  but  only  to  view  it  from  a  dis- 
tance ;  so  I  conceive  an  idea  in  my  mind  of  the  acquisitions 
uid  treasures  of  those  who  have  visited  every  part  of  the  globe." 
At  home,  Mr.  Banks  and  his  companions  became  the  objects 
of  general  ctiriosity ;  their  conversation  was  easerly  sought  by 
the  learned,  the  noble,  and  the  wealthy ;  and  even  royalty 
found  deliffht  in  listening  to  the  adventures  of  the  discoverers, 
and  examming  the  specimens  of  the  arts  and  manufactures 
which  they  hut  gathered  in  the  distant  countries  they  had 
eiplored.* 

The  manner  in  which  Cook  had  discharged  his  duty  se- 
cured him  almost  universal  approbation.  He  was  honoured 
with  an  introduction  to  his  majesty  at  St.  James*s,  when  he 
presented  a  journal  of  his  voyage,  with  illustrative  maps  and 
charts  ;  and  by  a  commission,  dated  29th  August,  1771,  he 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  commander.  With  a  becoming 
pride  and  consciousness  of  his  own  merits,  he  was  desirous  to 
obtain  higher  station ;  but  his  wish  could  not  be  gratified 
without    iolating  the  rdes  of  the  naval  service. 

*  Interest  attached  itself  even  to  the  animals  which  were  on  board 
the  EndeaTour  in  her  eventAil  navigation ;  and  Dr.  Johnson  conde< 
■eended  to  write  an  indifferent  epigram  on  a  goat  which  Mr.  Banks  had 
carried  with  him  round  the  globe  :— 

"Perpetua  ambitA  bis  terrft  pramia  lactis 
Hoc  habet  altrici  C«pra  secunda  Jovis." 
X8 


:,    :n     'W    •,■■! 


.',     .  .   ,  .*,,  * 


-V-* 


* 


246   SECOND  CIRCUMNAYIftATION  OF  COOK. 


CHAPTER  X. 
Second  Circumnavigation  of  Cook. 

Objeetaof  the  Voyage.— Search  fbrBouvet's  Land.--Tbe  Soathern  Conti- 
nent.—Aurora  Auatralis.— Arrival  at  New  Zealand.— Visit  to  the  Low 
Archipelago. —Oiaheite. —Huaheine.—  Ulieiea.  —  Rediscovery  of  the 
Tonga  or  Friendly  iHlands.— Second  Visit  to  New  Zealand.— Separation 
orthe  Ships.— Search  Torthe  Terra  Australia  resumed.— Highest  South 
Latitude  attained.— Dangerous  Illness  of  Cook.— Easter  iHland.— Las 
Marquesas.- The  Society  Islands.— The  Tonga  Islands.— New  Hebri- 
des.—Discovery  of  New  Caledonia.— Norfolk  Island.— 1'hird  Visit  to 
New  Zealand.— Run  acroos  the  Pacific— Purvey  of  TienadelFuego 
and  Staten  Land.— Discovery  of  New  South  Georgia  and  Sandwich 
Land.— Return  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Ho)ie.— Adventures  of  Captain 
Furneaux.— Conclusion  of  the  Voyage.— Honours  paid  to  Cook.— His 
Narrative  of  the  Expedition.— Omai  in  England. 

Althouoh,  by  circumnavigating  New  Zealand  and  ex- 
ploring the  eastern  coasts  of  New  Holland,  Cook  had  exploded 
the  opinion  so  long  cherished,  that  these  countries  belonged 
to  the  great  Terra  Australia  Incognita^  yet  the  question  of  a 
vast  southern  continent  remained  undecided,  and  a  belief  in 
its  existence  was  still  strongly  entertained,  both  on  physical 
and  historical  grounds,  by  some  of  the  most  distinguished  men 
of  that  day. 

Soon  after  the  return  of  the  Endeavour,  it  was  resolved  to 
prepare  an  expedition  expressly  to  settle  this  much-agitated 
point.  The  Earl  of  Sandwich,  then  at  the  head  of  the  Ad- 
miralty, prosecuted  the  design  with  ardour ;  it  received  the 
cordial  approbation  of  the  king ;  and  Cook  was  at  once  chosen 
as  the  individual  to  whom  the  execution  of  it  ought  to  be  in- 
trusted. 

On  considering  the  nature  and  dangers  of  the  voyage,  it  was 
deemed  advisable  that  two  vessels  should  act  in  concert. 
These  were  similar  in  size  and  construction  to  the  Endeavour, 
and  had  been  built  at  "U^iitby  by  the  same  person.  The 
Resolution,  of  which  Cook  had  the  command,  was  rated  at 
462  tons  burden ;  and  the  Adventure,*  of  336  tons,  was 

*  From  an  anecdote  preserved  by  Bnswell,  it  appears  that  it  was  ori- 
Cinally  iotanded  to  heatow  other  names  on  the  vessels.    "  2lBt  March, 


:i   It 


SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK.   247 


placed  under  Captain  Fumeaux,  who  had  sailed  as  second  lieu- 
tenant under  Wallis.  The  former  had  a  complement  of  112, 
and  the  latter  of  81,  officers  and  men.  Both  were  equipped  in 
the  most  complete  manner,  according  to  ^'  j  science  and  experi- 
ence of  the  period,  under  the  eye  of  Lux  d  Sandwich ;  and,  be- 
sides the  very  best  stores  and  provisions,  the  navy  and  victual- 
ling boards  supplied  a  variety  of  articles,  intended  for  the  pres- 
ervation of  the  seamen's  health.  Among  these  were  malt,  sour- 
krout,  salted  cabbage,  portable  broth,  saloop,  and  mustard- 
all  well-known  antiscorbutics  ;  to  which  were  added,  for  the 
sake  of  trial,  marmalade  of  carrots,  and  the  inspissated  juice 
of  wort  and  beer.  Clothing  suitable  to  a  cold  climate  was 
put  on  board  the  ships,  together  with  ample  materials  for  fish- 
ing, and  articles  to  serve  as  presents  for  the  natives  of  the 
countries  visited,  and  as  money  for  the  purchase  of  provisions. 
Each  vessel  had  likewise  the  framework  of  a  tender,  to  be  set 
up,  if  required,  on  any  emergency.  Nor  were  the  interests  of 
science  neglected  ;  Mr.  Hodges,  an  accomplished  artist,  was 
engaged  as  draughtsman ;  and  Messrs.  Banks  and  Solander 
having  abandoned  their  design  of  accompanying  the  expedi- 
tion,* Ml.  John  Reinhold  Forster  and  his  son  were  employed 

1772.  A  gentleman  having  come  in  who  was  to  go  as  a  mate  in  the  ship 
aiong  with  Mi  Banlis  and  Dr.  Solander,  Ur.  Johnson  asked  what  were 
tlie  names  of  the  ships  destined  for  the  expedition.  The  gentleman 
answered.  They  were  once  to  be  called  the  Drake  and  the  Raleigh,  but 
now  they  were  to  be  called  i he  Resolution  and  the  Adventure.  Johnson. 
— *  M uch  better;  fur  had  the  Kaleigh  [the  Drake?]  returned  without 
going  round  the  world,  it  would  have  been  ridiculous.  To  give  ihem 
the  names  or  the  Drake  and  the  Raleigh  was  laying  a  trap  for  satire.' 
BoswelL—*  Had  not  you  some  desire  to  go  upon  this  expedition,  sir  V 
Johnson.—*  Why  yes,  but  I  soon  laid  it  aside.  Sir,  there  is  very  little  of 
intellectual  in  tue  course.  Besides,  I  see  but  at  a  small  distance.  So  it 
was  not  worth  my  while  to  go  to  see  birds  fly  which  I  should  not  have 
seen  fly ;  and  fldhes  swim  which  I  should  iioi  nave  men  swim.'  "—Bos? 
well's  life  of  Johnson  (Mr.  Croker's  ed.),  vol.  ii.,  p.  138. 

*  An  attempt  has  been  lately  made  to  ascribe  the  change  in  Mr.  Banks' 
intentions  to  the  alleged  moroseness  of  Cook  s  temper.  In  a  report  from 
a  committee  of  the  Geographical  Society  of  Paris  (Annales  Maritimes, 
January,  1831),  it  is  said :— "  Du  rests  |e  caract^re  inflexible  et  morose  de 
cet  intr^pide  marin  rendit  souvent  aux  persoimes  appel6es  &  servir  sous 
ses  ordres  leur  position  d^sagr^Hble.  On  se  souvient  que  Banks  renonga 
A  Taccompagner  dans  soti  second  voyage,  bien  qu'il  edt  tout  disp«is6  dans 
cete  intention."  Tiiis  charge  appears  destitute  on  he  slightest  foundation. 
During  the  flrst  voyage,  which  extended  to  nearly  three  yearti,  Sir  Joseph 
could  not  fail  to  become  intlmat*tly  acquainted  with  the  peculiarities  of 
Cook's  disposition ;  and  knowing  these  so  fully,  it  is  quite  inconsistent 
with  tbe  decision  and  whole  character  of  the  late  president  of  the  Royal 


248  8BC0ND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK. 


as  naturalists.*  Parliament  made  a  grant  of  4000/.,  *'  as  an 
encouragement  for  the  more  effectually  prosecuting  the  dis« 
coveries  towards  the  south  pole ;"  and  by  agreement  with 
the  Board  of  Longitude,  two  gentlemen  of  distinguished  ac- 

Soclety  to  suppose  that  be  would  bsve  determined  to  Join  the  expedition, 
and  made  expensive  arrangement*,  only  to  forego  his  design  when  the 
hour  of  sailing  was  at  hand.  Indeed,  it  is  well  known  that  he  gave  up 
bis  pn^t  only  "  because  the  Navy  Board  showed  no  willingness  to  pro« 
vide  that  accommodation  which  the  extent  of  his  preparations  and  tbs 
number  of  his  scientific  ibllowurs  required."  The  following  statement 
is  given  in  the  Annual  Register  for  1773  (p.  106),  under  the  date  of 
lltn  June :— *'  Mr.  Banks  and  Dr.  Solander  were  not  consulted  on  the 
choice  of  the  ship ;  and  on  their  objecting  to  her  want  of  accommodation 
for  their  draughtsmen,  &c.,  as  well  as  to  her  want  of  room  to  stow  the 
cr9W,  the  Navy  Board  undertook  to  give  all  those  conveniences,  and 
patched  the  same  ship  with  a  round-house  and  square  deck,  and  without 
considering  whether  she  could  bear  it,  manned  and  equipped  her  for 
the  vovage.  Mr.  Banks,  Dr.  Solander,  fcc,  examined  her  a  second  time ; 
found  her  convenient  if  she  could  sail,  of  which  they  doubted,  and  re> 
ported  her  top-heavy.  Their  observations  were  disregarded ;  but  a  gals 
of  wind  srising,  laid  her  on  her  side  without  her  having  a  single  sail 
unreeftd,  and  she  could  not  fiir  some  time  recover ;  they  ordered  the  long- 
boat to  save  the  crew,  when  unexpectedly  she  reeovered.  Notwith* 
standing  this  accident,  she  was  reported  good,  and  fit  for  the  voyage,  and 
was  onfered  to  Plymouth.  The  |Mlot  obeyed  these  orders,  sending  word 
he  could  not  ensure  her  out  of  the  river.  At  last  it  was  found  that  the 
fkroe  could  not  be  carried  on  longer,  and  the  reports  on  which  the  Navy 
Board  proceeded  were  found  fklse ;  expresses  were  sent  along  the  eoast 
to  Deal,  fcc,  to  order  her  into  the  nearest  dock  to  Sheerness,  if  they  could 
overtake  her ;  this  was  no  difficult  task ;  for  while  the  other  ships 
clesred  the  Downs,  she  did  not  make  one  knot  an  hour.  She  was  put 
into  dock ;  they  cut  off  her  round-house  and  part  of  iier  deck,  reduced  the 
cabin, and  put  her  in  the  same  unfit  situation  she  was  in  when  first  objected 
to ;  and  then  the  question  was  politely  put  to  Mr.  Banks, '  Take  this  or 
none.'  Mr.  Banks  has  laid  out  several  thousand  pounds  fbr  instruments, 
Ac,  preparatory  for  the  voyage ;  Mr.  Zofiknl  (a  well-known  painter) 
Dear  lOOM.  for  necessaries,  and  the  other  gentlemen  very  considerable 
•urns  on  that  account." 

*  This  voluminous  author  was  born  at  Dirschau,  in  Polish  Prussia,  on 
the  2Sd  October,  1790.  He  came  to  England  in  1766,  and  was  endued  by 
the  Admiralty  as  naturalist  to  Cook's  expedition  at  the  brief  wammg  of 
ten  days.  His  unfortunate  temper  involved  him  in  continual  broils  with 
his  shipmates,  one  of  whom  informs  us  that  Forater  in  these  disputes  so 
often  used  the  threat,  *'  I  will  complain  to  the  king !"  that  the  expression 
became  proverbial  among  the  seamen,  and  was  joeulariy  employed  by 
them  on  the  most  trifling  occasions.  He  took  with  him  In  this  expedi- 
tion his  son,  John  George  Adam  (more  commonly  called  George),  then  17 
yean  old,  who  published  an  account  of  the  circumnavigation  under  the 
iltle  of"  A  Voyage  round  the  World  in  His  Britmnlc  Majesty's  Sloop 
Resolution."  LoMon,  1777,  S  vols.  4to.  A  translation  into  German  ^h 
peared  at  Berlin  in  1770-1780.  The  numerous  and  offensive  attacks  upon 
the  conduct  of  the  officers  and  crew  called  fortha  icailiDg pamphlet  ftoia 


;ii 


SECOND  CIRCUMNATIOATION  OF  COOK.   249 


quirements,  Messrs.  Wales  and  Bayly,  furnished  with  the  best 
instruments  and  timepieces,  undertook  the  astronomical  de- 
partment. 

llie  ships  thus  equipped  joined  in  Plymouth  Sound,  on  tho 
3d  of  July,  1772  ;  and,  after  a  farewell  visit  from  Lord 
Sandwich  and  Sir  Hugh  Palliser,  Cook  received  his  instruc- 
tions, dated  the  25th  of  the  preceding  month.  They  di' 
rected  hiii  to  proceed  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  where  he 
was  to  refresh  his  crews,  and  take  in  provisions.  He  was 
then  to  sail  to  the  southward  in  quest  of  a  point  of  land 
named  Circoncision,  said  to  have  been  discovered  in  latitude 
540  20'  S.,  and  between  nine  and  eleven  degrees  of  east  longi- 
tude. In  the  event  of  falling  in  with  it,  ne  was  to  satisfy 
himself  whether  it  belonged  to  an  island,  or  formed  part  of 
the  Terra  Australia  so  long  souffht,  and  to  explore  it  as  dili- 
gently and  extensively  as  possible.  This  being  accompUshed, 
or  in  case  he  should  not  find  the  cape,  he  was  to  proceed  to 
the  southward,  so  long  as  he  thought  there  was  a  likelihood  of 
falling  in  with  a  continent,  and  thence  towards  the  east  with 
the  same  view  ;  and,  generally,  he  was  instructed  to  discover 
such  islands  as  might  exist  in  the  unexplored  part  of  the 
southern  hemisphere,  keeping  in  high  latitudes,  and  prose- 
cuting his  inquiries  as  near  the  pole  as  possible,  until  he  had 
circumnavigated  the  globe. 

The  cape  mentioned  in  the  instructions  had  been  visited, 
it  was  reported,  by  a  French  officer,  M.  Lozier  Bouvet,  who, 


..I 

'I    I 


the  sHtronomer,  entitled, "  Remarks  on  Mr.  Fornter^s  Account  of  Taptain 
Cook's  Last  Voyage.  By  Wm.  Wales,  F.R.S.,"  London,  1778,  8vo, 
which  oecflHioned  a  *'  Reply  to  Mr.  Wales's  Remarks,  by  Mr.  Forsier,** 
London,  1778, 8vo.  In  the  succfHiding  year,  he  published  "  A  Letter  to 
the  Earl  of  Sandwich,"  Ix)ndoM,  1779, 4to,  in  which  he  attempted  to  prove 
that  he  and  his  Ihther  were  not  rewarded  sufficiently,  nor  agreeably  to 
the  contract,  for  their  services.  It  was  rommonly  supposed  at  the  lime 
that  the  account  nf  the  voyage  was  the  joint  production  of  both;  bat 
this  WAS  denied  by  George.  The  style  is  inflated  and  pom|M>us,  the  re- 
flections arc  Tor  the  most  part  in  a  very  Iklse  taste,  and  the  work  is  dis- 
figured throughout  by  that  superficial  and  flmcinil  philosophy,  which 
the  writings  of  Lord  Kaiuies  have  rendered  well  known  in  Scot- 
land. John  Reinhold  gave  to  the  public  "  Olwervation^  made  during  a 
Voyage  round  the  World  on  Pliynical  Geography,  Natural  History,  and 
Ethical  Philosophy ."  Ixindon,  1778, 4tn.  He  died  at  Halle,  in  Germany, 
on  the  0th  December,  1798,  aged  70;  his  son  decetised  at  Parii*  on  the 
13th  January,  1794,  in  the  40;  h  year  of  his  lilie.— Memoirs  by  Eyries,  in 
Biographie  Universelle,  vol.  xv.,  p.  282-290.  Nicbots'  Literary  Anec* 
dotes,  vol.  Ui.,  p.  90-02.  note. 


\ 


^1 


250   SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK. 


'( 


on  tlie  19th  July,  1738,  Bailed  from  Fort  TOrient  in  command 
of  two  frigates,  to  search  for  land  about  the  latitude  of  44^  S., 
longitude  355°  eastward  from  Teneriffe,  where  some  ancient 
charts  had  placed  a  promontory  of  the  southern  continent. 
On  the  Ist  January,  1739,  in  latitude  54°  SO*  S.,  longitude 
25°  47'  east  from  the  same  meridian,  he  got  sight  of  land, 
which,  in  honour  of  the  day,  was  named  Cape  de  la  Circon- 
cision.  It  was  his^  and  steep,  the  mountains  were  for  the 
most  part  covered  with  snow,  and  the  coast  was  bordered 
with  ice.  From  the  state  of  the  weather  no  boat  could  pru- 
dently attempt  to  reach  it ;  and  the  navigators  left  it  without 
being  able  to  determine  whether  it  was  part  of  a  continent  or 
an  island.* 

Cook  took  his  departure  from  England  on  the  13th  July ; 
made  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  on  the  29th  October ;  and 
next  morning  anchored  in  Table  Bay,  where  he  remained  till 
the  22d  of  November.  Before  sailing,  he  wp^  induced,  by 
the  solicitation  of  Mr.  Forster,  to  receive  on  board,  as  an  as- 
sistant to  the  naturalists.  Dr.  Sparrmann,  by  birth  a  Swede, 
and  a  disciple  of  Linnaeus. 

The  course  was  first  directed  towards  the  discovery  of 
Bouvet ;  but  adverse  and  stormy  winds  drove  the  navigators 
far  to  the  eastward  of  their  intended  track,  and  left  them  no 
hopes  of  reaching  the  desired  promontory.  They  likewise  lost 
the  greater  part  of  their  live  stock,  and  underwent  no  little 
inconvenience  by  the  rapid  transition  from  the  warm  climate 
of  the  Cape  to  that  incident  to  the  latitude  of  48°  41'  S., 
which,  in  the  longitude  of  18°  24'  £.,  they  had  attained  on 
the  6th  of  December.  On  the  10th  they  found  themselves 
two  degrees  farther  south,  and  for  the  first  time  descried  islo 
ands  of  ice,  some  of  which  were  upwards  of  fifty  feet  in 
height ;  while  such  was  the  fury  of  the  waves,  that  the  sea 
broke  quite  over  them.  Tlie  latitude  of  Point  Circoncision 
was  attained  on  the  13th ;  but  the  voyagers  considered  them- 
selves about  118  leagues  to  the  eastward  of  its  position.  On 
the  morning  of  the  next  day  their  course  to  the  south  was 
arrested  by  an  immense  field  of  ice,  to  which  they  could  see 
no  end,  either  in  the  east,  west,  or  south.  Some  of  them, 
and  Cook  himself  at  one  time,  thought  land  was  discernible 
over  it ;  but  this  delusive  appearance,  it  was  soon  discovered, 


*  Bomey,  Cbron.  Hist,  Discov,,  vol,  v.,  p.  30-37. 


COOK. 


8SC0ND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK.  251 


in  command 
leof440  S., 
ome  ancient 
n  continent. 
!.,  longitude 
^ht  of  land, 
>  la  Circon^ 
irere  for  the 
as  bordered 
t  could  pru- 
ft  it  without 
continent  or 

13th  July ; 
Etober;  and 
emained  till 
induced,  by 
d,  as  an  as- 
I  a  Swede, 

iscovery  of 

navigators 

$ft  them  no 

kewise  lost 

nt  no  little 

rm  climate 

18°  41'  S., 

ttained  on 

themselves 

escried  isl- 

ty  feet  in 

at  the  sea 

Irconcision 

ired  them- 

tion.     On 

south  was 

could  see 

of  them, 

iscemible 

scovered, 


had  been  occasioned  by  ice-hills  observed  through  a  hazy  at* 
mosphere.  Several  days  were  spent  in  sailing  alonff  this  im- 
penetrable mass,  or  in  clearing  various  islands  which  were 
floating  near  it.  The  weather,  meanwhile,  was  generally 
foggy,  with  sleet  and  snow,  from  which  the  whole  crew  suf- 
fer^ much,  though  the  thermometer  did  not  descend  below 
80°.  Symptoms  of  scurvy  in  both  vessels,  at  the  same  time, 
excited  some  uneasiness ;  but,  by  the  copious  use  of  fresh 
i\rort,  these  were  removed. 

On  the  supposition  that  the  ice  which  had  been  encountered 
^as  formed  in  bays  and  rivers,  it  seemed  probable  that,  as 
!and  could  not  be  far  distant,  it  might  lie  beyond  the  large 
ield  which  alone  barred  the  approach  to  it.  Cook  determined 
10  run  thirty  or  forty  leagues  to  the  east,  then  endeavour  to 
iteer  southward,  and,  by  getting  behind  the  ice,  set  the  ques- 
lion  at  .rest.  But,  though  he  proceeded  in  this  direction  for 
lome  time,  and  afterward  sailed  both  to  the  south  and  the 
vest  of  the  alleged  position  of  Bouvet's  discovery,  he  neither 
fell  in  with  it  nor  observed  any  certain  indication  of  land. 
Penguins,  indeed,  were  seen  in  abundance,  birds  which,  as  is 
commonly  believed,  never  go  far  from  shore. 

On  the  4th  of  January,  1773,  he  quitted  a  part  of  the  sea 
vhich  he  had  amply  explored,  and  took  a  course  more  to  the 
louth.  On  the  17th  he  crossed  the  antarctic  circle  in  the  Ion- 
ntude  of  39°  36' ;  but  about  six  o'clock  the  same  evening,  in 
atitude  67°  15'  S.,  he  found  that  farther  progress  in  that  di- 
rection was  impracticable,  **  the  ice  being  entirely  closed  to 
ihe  south,  in  the  whole  extent  from  east  to  west  southwest, 
without  the  least  appearance  of  any  opening."  This  vast  body 
was  composed  of  masses  in  the  various  forms  of  high  hills, 
loose  or  broken  pieces  packed  closely  together,  and  what  the 
Grreenlandmen  call  field-ice.  One  floating  portion  of  this  last 
kind,  to  the  southeast,  was  of  such  size,  that  no  end  to  it 
could  be  seen  from  the  mast-head ;  it  was  sixteen  or  eighteen 
feet  in  height,  and  pretty  equal  on  the  surface.  In  this  sit- 
uation many  whales  were  observed ;  the  brown,  white,  and 
blue  peterels  were  met  with  in  considerable  numbers,  together 
with  a  few  dark-gray  albatrosses ;  but  the  pintados,  so  com- 
mon in  lower  latitudes,  had  wholly  disappeared.  Amid  the 
dangers  and  privations  to  which  tlie  discoverers  had  been  so 
long  exposed,  they  were  enabled  to  command  an  inexhausti- 
ble supply  of  fresh  water,  by  dissolving  portions  of  ice  whicU 


./: 


262  SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK* 


i 


t< 


I . 


Ml 


hftd  been  allowed  to  remain  on  deck  a  short  time,  for  the  pur- 
pose  of  draining  off  the  salt  which  adhered  to  the  surface ; 
and  in  this  manner,  in  the  space  of  a  few  hours,  no  less  than 
fifteen  tuns  were  obtained.  It  was  perfectly  sweet  and  well 
tasted. 

The  summer  of  those  southern  regions  was  already  hall 
spent,  and  Cook  did  not  consider  it  prudent  to  persevere  in 
the  attempt  to  reach  a  higher  latitude,  especially  as  some  time 
would  be  consumed  in  getting  round  the  ice,  even  if  this  were 
practicable,  which  he  doubted.  He  therefore  resolved  to  pro- 
ceed in  search  of  lands  said  to  have  been  lately  discovered  by 
some  French  officers,  of  whose  enterprises  he  had  received  a 
meager  report  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  In  prosecution  oi 
this  object,  he  first  sailed  north  over  part  of  the  sea  already  trav* 
ersed,  and  then  northeast  till,  on  the  1st  of  February,  he  reached 
latitude  48°  dC,  nearly  in  the  meridian  of  the  Mauritius  i 
but  though  he  used  the  precaution  of  keeping  some  miles  dis^ 
tant  from  the  Adventure,  with  a  view  to  more  extensive  search, 
neither  that  vessel  nor  his  own  got  sight  of  land<  On  the  day 
last  mentioned,  indeed,  Captain  Fumeaux  pointed  out  circum- 
stances which  seemed  to  indicate  its  vicinity  ;  but  there  was 
no  possibility  of  determining  whether  it  lay  to  the  east  or  the 
west ;  and  the  state  of  the  winds  prevented  complete  invest!' 
gation.  Other  signs  of  a  similar  kind  were  subsequently 
noticed,  but  they  led  to  no  result ;  and  our  navigator,  when 
in  latitude  48°  6',  and  longitude  68°  22'  E.,  being  satisfied  tha< 
if  there  was  any  land  near  him  it  could  only  be  an  island  oi 
inconsiderable  extent,  bore  away  to  the  east  southeast.  A 
separation  between  the  two  vessels  took  place  on  the  8th( 
**  though,"  says  Cook,  "  we  were  at  a  loss  to  tell  how  it  had 
been  effected."  He  continued  to  pursue  a  southeast  course, 
and  was  tantalized  by  some  indications  of  land,  especially  the 
appearance  of  penguins  and  other  birds,  but  found  them  decep< 
tive.  On  the  17tn,  for  the  first  time,  he  saw  luminous  ap' 
pearances  in  the  heavens  similar  to  those  in  the  other  hemi" 
sphere,  which  have  been  named  Aurora  Borealis  or  Northern 
Streamers.  "  The  natural  state  of  the  heavens,"  says  Mr^ 
Wales,  *'  except  in  the  southeast  quarter,  and  for  about  10° 
of  altitude  all  round  the  horizon,  was  a  whitish  haze,  through 
which  stars  of  the  third  magnitude  were  just  discernible.  All 
round,  the  horizon  was  covered  with  thick  clouds,  out  of  which 
arose  many  streams  of  a  pale  reddish  light  that  ascended  to* 


1 


300K* 


SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK.   253 


,  for  the  pur- 

the  surface; 

no  less  than 

'eet  and  well 

already  half 
persevere  in 
18  some  time 
n  if  this  were 
lolved  to  pro- 
liscovered  by 
d  received  a 
rosecution  oi 
already  trav* 
y,  he  reached 

Mauritius  I 
le  miles  dis- 
nsive  search. 

On  the  day 
I  out  circum" 
ut  there  wa» 
i  east  or  the 
)lete  investi' 
lubsequently 
igator,  when 
satisfied  that 
an  island  oi 
itheast.  A 
on  the  8th, 

how  it  had 
east  course, 
pecially  the 
hem  decep* 
minous  ap' 
)ther  hemi" 
)r  Northern 
,"  says  Mr, 

about  10° 
ze,  Uurough 
nible.  All 
It  of  which 
icended  to- 


wards  the  zenith.  These  streams  had  not  that  motion  which 
they  are  sometimes  seen  to  have  in  England,  but  were  per- 
fectly steady,  except  a  small  tremulous  motion  which  some  of 
them  had  near  their  edges."  This  remarkable  phenomenon 
recuned  several  times ;  and  on  one  occasion,  writes  the  tts- 
tronomer,  "the  evening  was  very  clear,  and  the  Southtm 
Lights  were  exceeding  bright  and  beautiful,  and  appe;,~ed  .  f 
a  semicircular  or  rainbow-like  form,  whose  two  extxcu'wien 
were  nearly  in  the  east  and  west  points  of  the  horizon.  Thi  t 
bow,  when  it  first  made  its  appearance,  passed  a  consideriiblo 
way  to  the  north  of  the  zenith ;  but  rose  by  degree?,  tui^iiiig, 
as  it  were,  on  its  diameter,  and,  passing  through  the  ,^f?>  \tHy 
settled  at  length  towards  the  southern  horizon.  Tbfcia  ii^ht? 
were  at  one  time  so  bright  that  we  could  discern  t;vti  biitidovvs 
on  the  deck."*  On  board  the  Adventure,  as  we  aro  apsured 
by  Mr.  Bayly,  "  they  were  so  bright  that  large  print  might  havo 
been  read  by  their  light." 

Cook  had  intended  again  to  penetrate  beyond  the  aTiif.rctio 
circle,  notwithstanding  the  advanced  season  of  the  ycRr  ar.d 
the  severity  of  the  weather ;  but  huge  masses  of  ice,  broken 
and  driven  about  by  a  heavy  sea,  with  which,  during  dark 
nights,  it  was  scarcely  possible  to  avoid  coming  in  contavit, 
deterred  him  from  the  design.  He  therefore  stood  to  the 
northeastward,  and  on  the  8th  of  March  attained  latitude  59*^ 
44'  S.,  in  longitude  121°  9'  E.,  where,  besides  the  pleasure 
of  a  bright  sky,  and  an  atmospliere  as  serene  and  mild  as  bid 
occurred  since  leaving  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  there  was 
that  of  having  not  a  single  island  of  ice  in  sight.  In  the  after- 
noon, however,  the  heavens  portended  a  storm,  wl  ich  .-p.ed- 
ily  came  on,  and  lasted  till  the  evening  of  the  10th,  att\inded 
by  a  very  high  sea,  and  followed  by  a  long  hollow  i'Wfjll  from 
S.S.E.  and  S.E.  by  S.  "Whoever  attrmv/ely  considers 
this,"  says  Cook,  "must  conclude  that  theij  can  be  no  land 
to  the  south  but  what  must  be  at  a  j|rreat  distance."  A  return 
of  moderate  weather  would  have  inclined  him  to  venture  in 
that  direction ;  but  ha  was  boon  convinced  that  he  had  gone 
far  enough,  and  that  the  time  was  approaching  when  uiese 
seas  could  not  be  navigated. 

On  the  17th  he  was  in  latitude  59°  7'  S.,  and  longitude 

*  Astronomicnl  Observations   m»de  in  a  Voyage  towards  the  South 
Pole.    Lond.,  1777, 4to,  p  ai3,  314. 

y 


254  SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK. 


146°  53'  E.,  when,  having  determined  to  quit  the  high  south- 
em  latitudes,  he  bore  away  northeast  and  north,  and  on  the 
26th  of  March  came  in  sight  of  New  Zealand.  The  next  day 
he  anchored  in  Dusky  Bay,  after  being  117  days  at  sea,  and 
having  in  that  time  sailed  3660  leagues  without  once  seeing 
land.  It  might  have  been  apprehended  that  a  voyage  of  such 
length,  in  a  region  so  inclement,  could  not  be  performed  with- 
out the  prevalence  of  scurvy ;  but  only  one  man  suffered  much 
by  that  disease,  to  which  he  was  predisposed  by  a  bad  habit  of 
body  and  by  a  complication  of  other  disorders.  The  general 
good  health  of  his  crew  was  by  Cook  attributed  mainly  to  the 
liberal  use  of  sweet  wort,  and  to  the  frequent  airing  of  the 
ship  by  fires. 

A  more  commodious  harbour  having  been  discovered  by 
Lieutenant  Pickersgill,  whose  name  was  given  to  it,  the  ship 
was  removed  thither  on  the  28th,  and  all  hands  were  speedily 
busied  in  obtaining  water,  cutting  down  wood,  setting  up  the 
observatory,  forge,  and  tents,  brewing  beer  from  the  branches 
or  leavss  of  the  spruce-fir,  seeking  provisions,  botanizing,  and 
exploring  the  country.  The  transition  from  their  late  weari- 
some monotony  of  life  to  such  employments  was  made  with 
general  delight.  For  a  long  time  the  crew  had  been  engaged 
m  continual  struggles  to  evade  masses  of  ice  which  threatened 
destruction  every  moment,  amid  storms  and  mists,  and  with- 
out either  refreshment  or  sight  of  land.  They  now  found 
themselves  In  a  genial  climate  and  a  fertile  country,  the  woods 
of  which  were  mellowed  by  the  teints  of  approaching  autumn, 
and  resounded  with  the  songs  of  strange  birds.  "  The  view 
of  rude  sceneries  in  the  style  of  Rosa,"  writes  Mr.  ForstCT, 
"  of  antediluvian  forests  which  clothed  the  rock,  and  of  nu- 
merous rills  ^of  water  which  everywhere  rolled  down  the  steep 
declivity,  altogether  conspired  to  complete  our  joy;  and  so 
apt  is  mankind,  after  a  long  absence  from  land,  to  be  preju- 
diced in  favour  of  the  wildest  shore,  that  we  looked  upon  the 
country  at  that  time  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  which  nature, 
unassisted  by  art,  could  produce."*  The  more  sober-minded 
Cook  tranquilly  "  hoped  to  enjoy  with  ease  what  in  our  situa- 
tion might  \)e  called  the  luxuries  of  life."  An  examination 
of  the  bay  convinced  him  that  there  were  few  places  in  New 


*  Fonter's  Voyage,  vol.  l.,p.  124. 


SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF  COOK.   255 


r 

1 


Zealand  yet  visited  which  afforded  the  necessary  refreshments 
no  plenteously ;  and  we  are  informed,  that  notwithstanding 
the  rains,  which  were  frequent  at  this  season,  "  such  as  were 
sick  and  ailing  recovered  daily,  and  the  whole  crew  soon 
became  strong  and  vigorous,  which  can  only  be  attributed 
to  the  healthiness  of  the  place  and  the  fresh  provisions  it 
afforded." 

The  navigators  left  Dusky  Bay  on  the  11th  May,  and  pro- 
ceeded along  the  shore  towards  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound, 
meeting  with  nothing  worthy  of  remark  till  the  17th,  when  a 
gentle  gale  having  sunk  into  a  calm,  and  a  clear  sky  becom- 
ing suddenly  obscured  by  dense  clouds,  several  water-spouts 
were  seen.  Four  of  them  rose  and  spent  themselves  between 
the  ship  and  the  land ;  the  fifth  was  outside  the  vessel ;  while 
the  sixth,  which  first  appeared  in  the  southwest  at  the  dis- 
tance of  two  or  three  miles,  and  had  a  progressive  motion  in 
an  irregular  line  to  the  northeast,  passed  harmlessly  within 
fifty  yards  of  the  stem.  "  I  was  then  below  looking  at  the 
barometer,"  says  Mr.  Wales  ;  "  when  I  got  upon  deck  it  was 
about  100  yards  from  the  ship.  It  is  impossible  to  say  what 
would  have  been  the  consequences  if  it  had  gone  over  her ; 
but  I  believe  they  would  have  been  very  dreadful.  .  .  . 
I  think  that  none  of  these  spouts  continued  entire  more  than 
ten  minutes,  perhaps  not  quite  so  long.  I  saw  four  complete 
at  one  time  ;  but  there  were  great  numbers  which  began  to 
form,  and  were  dispersed,  by  what  cause  I  know  not,  before 
the  cloud  and  water  joined."* 

Queen  Charlotte's  Sound  was  reached  at  dawn  of  the  fol- 
lowing day,  and  general  satisfaction  was  diffused  by  the  ti- 
dings that  the  Adventure  was  in  the  harbour.  Captain  Fur- 
neaux  had  lost  sight  of  his  consort  in  a  thick  fog,  and  after 
firing  a  gun  every  half  hour  as  a  signal  without  receiving  an 
answer,  and  havmg  passed  three  days,  according  to  agree- 
ment, in  a  cruise  as  near  as  possible  to  the  same  place,  he 
bore  away  several  degrees  north  of  Cook's  track  towards  Van 
Diemen's  Land.  He  made  the  faither  extremity  of  this  island 
on  the  10  th  March,  and  having  examined  its  southern  and 
eastern  shores,  came  to  the  opinion,  "  that  there  are  no  straits 
between  New  Holland  and  Van  Diemen's  Land,  but  a  very 
deep  bay."    On  the  19th,  when  in  about  89  degrees  of  lati< 


h 


*  Astronomical  Obserrations,  p.  846. 


256    SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK. 


\' 


r?" 


ft. 


iv 


*x 


tudo,  with  land  in  view,  finding  "  the  ground  very  uneven  and 
shoal  water  some  distance  off,"  ho  discontinued  his  northerly 
course  and  stood  away  for  New  Zealand.  A  passage  of  fif- 
teen days  having  hrought  him  to  the  coast  of  that  country,  ho 
entered  Ship  Cove  on  the  7th  April,  from  which  period  till  the 
arrival  of  the  Resolution  he  haa  held  a  peaceable  intercourse 
with  the  natives. 

.  No  long  stay  was  made  in  the  sound  after  the  junction  of 
the  vessels.  Cook  resolving,  notwithstanding  the  season  of 
winter,  rather  to  traverse  the  ocean  as  far  as  the  longitude  of 
135°  or  140°  W.  between  the  latitudes  of  41°  and  40°,  than 
to  remain  idle,  and  thus  increase  the  work  to  be  performed  in 
the  ensuing  summer.  He  had  intended  to  visit  van  Diemen's 
Land,  in  order  to  determine  whether  or  not  it  made  a  part  of 
New  Holland  ;  but  ho  remarks,  '•  as  Captain  Furneaux  had 
now  in  a  great  measure  cleared  up  that  point,  I  could  have  no 
business  tnere."*  Before  leaving  New  Zealand,  he  endeav- 
oured to  benefit  it  as  far  as  possible  by  sending  two  goats  on 
shore,  and  by  sowing  or  planting  many  seeds  and  root»  of  use- 
ful vegetables. 

The  voyage  to  the  eastward  commenced  on  the  7th  June. 
It  was  prosecuted  till  the  17th  July,  when,  in  latitude  39°  44', 
longitude  133°  32'  W.,  and  nearly  in  the  middle  between  his 
own  track  to  the  north  in  1769,  and  his  return  to  the  south  in 
the  same  year.  Cook,  seeing  no  signs  of  land,  steered  north- 
easterly, with  a  view  to  explore  the  sea  down  to  latitude  27® 
— *'  a  space,"  he  says,  "  that  had  not  been  visited  by  any  pre- 
ceding navigator  that  I  knew  of."  On  the  1st  August  he 
was  near  the  situation  assigned  by  Carteret  to  Pitcairn's 
Island ;  but,  failing  in  his  hope  of  finding  it,  without  a  delay 
which  the  siykly  state  of  his  consort's  crew  rendered  inexpe- 
dient, and  being  convinced  there  could  be  no  continent  be- 
tween the  meridian  of  America  and  New  Zealand,  unless  in  a 
very  high  southern  latitude,  he  turned  his  course  towards  Ota-i 
heite. 

'  "*  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  Cook,  in  his  reliance  on  Captain  Furneaux, 
abandoned  his  design  orperfionaliy  investiguting  this  point :  had  he  done 
«o,  without  over  estimating  his  Bl(ill  or  sagacity,  we  may  express  our 
confldence  thHt  lie  would  have  anticipated  tlie  important  discovery,  made 
by  Messrs.  Flinders  and  Hass  in  17i)8,  of  the  channel  nr^med  Bass's  Strait, 
separating  Van  Diemen's  Land  (Voin  Australia.  An  interevting  account 
or  this  gallnnt  expedition  will  be  found  in  Flindera's  Voyage  to  Terra 
AUi'traiis  (London,  1814, 4io},  vol.  i.,  p.  133-103. 


OOK. 


SECOND   ClttCDMNAYIOATION   OF   COOK.   257 


uneven  and 
18  northerly 
snge  of  fif- 
country,  ho 
riod  till  the 
intercourse 

junction  of 
season  of 
ngitude  of 
I  40°, than 
srformed  in 
1  Diemen's 
3  a  part  of 
'neaux  had 
Id  have  no 
le  endcav- 
0  Croats  on 
Ola  of  use- 

7th  June. 
0  39°  44', 
itween  his 
e  south  in 
red  north- 
itude  270 
f  any  pre- 
k^ugust  he 
Pitcairn's 
it  a  delay 
d  inexpe- 
inent  be- 
nless  in  a 
ards  Ota-i 


Purneaux, 
ad  he  done 
(press  our 
ftty,  made 
ss's  Stialt, 
)g  account 
9  to  Terra 


Daybreak  of  the  1 1th  revealed  land  in  the  south.  It  proved 
to  be  an  island  about  two  leagues  in  extent,  and  covered  with 
wood,  '*  above  which  the  cocoanut-trees  showed  their  lofty 
hoads."  It  was  reckoned  to  be  in  latitude  17°  24'  S.,  and  lon- 
gitude 141*  39'  W.,  and  received  the  name  of  Resolution.  The 
same  day  another  was  discovered,  and  called  Doubtful.  One 
which  was  seen  the  next  morning  was  entitled  Furfteaux  ;  and 
the  designation  of  that  officer's  snip,  the  Adventure,  ivas  given 
to  a  third  descried  in  the  morning  of  the  13th.  "  I  must  here 
observe,"  says  Cook,  "that  among  these  low  and  half- 
drowned  isles  (which  are  numerous  in  this  part  of  the  ocean) 
M.  Bougainville's  discoveries  cannot  be  known  to  that  degree 
of  accuracy  which  is  necessary  to  distinguish  them  from 
others.  We  were  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  his  chart  for  the 
latitudes  and  longitudes,  as  neither  the  one  nor  the  other  is 
mentioned  in  his  narrative.  ...  He  v^ry  properly  calls 
this  cluster  the  Dangerous  Archipelago.  The  smoothness  of 
the  sea  sufficiently  convinced  us  that  we  were  surrounded  by 
these  isles,  and  how  necessary  it  was  to  proceed  with  the  ut- 
most caution,  especially  in  the  night."* 

At  length,  on  the  16th  August,  he  came  in  sight  of  Osna- 
burg  Island  or  Maitea,  when  he  apprized  Captain  rumeaux  of 
his  mtention  to  put  into  Oaitipiha  Bay,  near  the  southeast  end 
of  Otaheite,  to  get  what  refreshments  he  could  before  resu- 
ming his  old  station  at  Matavai.  But  in  this  attempt,  which 
was  made  early  next  day,  he  barely  escaped  total  shipwreck 
on  the  coral  reefs,  in  presence  of  many  of  the  natives,  who, 
probably  from  ignorance  of  his  danger,  snowed  not  the  slightest 
concern.  When  safely  within  the  harbour,  few  of  them  in- 
quired after  Tupia,  but  many  for  Mr.  Banks,  and  others  whom 
Uiey  had  known  during  the  previous  visit.  The  cause  of  their 
countryman's  demise,  as  explained  to  them,  was  deemed  quite 
satisfactory ;  and,  '*  indeed,"  says  Cook,  *'  it  did  not  appear  to 
me  that  it  would  have  caused  a  moment's  uneasiness  in  the 
breast  of  any  one,  had  hie  death  been  occasioned  by  any  other 
means  than  by  sickness."  The  captain's  rigid  system  of 
policy,  for  the  protection  or  recovery  of  stolen  goods,  was  soon 
found  to  be  as  necesbary  and  as  efficacious  as  on  the  former 
occasion. 

The  vessels  removed  to  Matavai  on  the  25th,  by  which 

*  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pols,  vol.  i.,  p.  14S. 
Y  2 


*■ 


268    SECOND    CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK. 


S 


t 


Tupapow  and  Chief  Mourner. 

tinie  the  crew  of  the  Adventure  had  greatly  recovered.  The 
voyagers  met  with  many  acquaintances  among  the  crowd  who 
speedily  thronged  the  decks  ;  and  next  day  Cook  visited  Otoo, 
then  sovereign  of  part  of  the  island,  whose  friendship  was  essen- 
tial in  obtaining  a  supply  of  provisions.  Suitable  presents 
were  accordingly  offered  and  accepted,  and,  in  return,  his 
majesty  promised  some  hogs,  but  was  loath  to  go  on  board, 
being,  as  he  feaid,  "  mataou  no  te  paupoue ;"  that  is,  afraid  of 
the  guns.  Indeed,  all  his  actions  showed  timidity  ;  though  he 
at  last  ventured  to  visit  the  ship,  attended  by  a  numerous  train. 
A  more  touching  interview  took  place  with  the  mother  of  the 
regent  Tootahah,  who,  seizing  the  commander  by  both  hands, 
burst  into  tears,  and  told  him  his  friend  was  dead.  "  I  was 
so  much  affected  with  her  behaviour,"  he  writes,  '» that  it 
would  have  been  impossible  for  me  to  refrain  mingling  my 
tears  with  hers,  had  not  Otoo  come  and  taken  me  from  her." 
He  afterward  learned  that  Tootahah  had  fallen  in  battle,  and 
that  his  remains,  after  being  exposed  on  a  tupapow  or  open 


I^ 

l8 
tl 


COOK. 


SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK.    259 


red.  The 
crowd  who 
sited  Otoo, 
was  essen- 

presents 
etum,  his 
on  board, 
afraid  of 
though  he 
ous  train, 
ler  of  the 
th  hands, 

"I  was 
**  that  it 
fling  my 
omner." 
ttle,  and 

or  open 


shed,  where  they  were  honoured  with  the  customary  rites  of 
mourning,  were  deposited  in  the  family  marai  at  Oparree. 
The  good  understanding  thus  commenced  was  kept  up  by  re- 
ciprocal acts  of  kindness  and  attention.  The  island  monarch 
and  his  people  were  gratified  by  the  music  of  the  bagpipe, 
their  favourite  instrument,  and  by  the  dances  of  the  seamen ; 
while  the  English  were  entertained  with  a  dramatic  play,  or 
heava,  a  medley  of  dancing  and  comedy.  All  the  fruits  which 
the  country  produces  they  obtained  abundantly,  except  that  of 
the  bread-tree,  which  was  not  then  in  season  ;  but  owing  to 
intestine  wars  and  other  circumstances,  hogs  and  fowls  were 
procured  with  difficulty — only  twenty-four  of  the  former  hav- 
ing been  received  during  a  residence  of  seventeen  days. 

On  the  1st  of  September  our  navigator  set  sail  for  the 
Island  of  Huaheine,  which  he  made  the  next  day.  Before 
landing,  the  king,  his  ancient  friend  Oree,  sent  to  the  ships 
the  piece  of  pewter  which  had  been  left  with  him  in  July, 
1769.  Cook  wished  to  go  to  this  kind-hearted  prince ;  but  I 
"was  told,  he  says,  ''  that  he  would  come  to  me ;  which  he  ac- 
cordingly did,  fell  upon  my  neck  and  embraced  me.  This 
Avas  by  no  means  ceremonious  ;  the  tears  which  trickled  plen- 
tifully down  his  venerable  cheeks  sufficiently  bespoke  the 
language  of  his  heart."  During  their  short  stay  the  English 
received  every  mark  of  friendship,  and  procured  no  fewer  than 
300  hogs,  besides  fowls  and  fruits.  On  the  7th  Cook  bade 
adieu  to  this  gentle  monarch,  leaving  with  him  a  small  copper- 
plate, with  the  inscription,  ''Anchored  here,  his  Britannic 
Majesty's  Ships  Resolution  and  Adventure,  September,  1773." 
Before  his  departure,  Captain  Fyrneaux  consented  to  take  on 
board  a  young  man  named  Omai,  a  native  of  a  neighbouring 
island.  In  the  opinion  of  Cook  at  tLJt  time,  "  he  was  not  a 
proper  sample  of  the  inhabitants  of  these  happy  islands,  not 
having  any  advantage  of  birth,  or  acquired  rank,  nor  being 
eminent  in  shape,  figure,  or  complexion." 

The  ships  reached  Ulietea  the  same  evening,  and  spent  the 
night  in  beating  off  and  on  the  island,  guided  by  the  lights  of 
the  fishers  on  the  reefs  and  shores.  On  the  morning  of  the  8th 
they  anchored  in  the  harbour  of  Ohamaneno,  and  the  natives 
immediately  crowded  around  them,  eager  to  barter  hogs  and 
fruit.  The  chief  Oreo  displayed  a  great  affection  for  the 
Europeans,  and  gratified  them  with  the  performance  of  a 
heava.    The  scenes  which  most  interested  them  in  this  rude 


260   SECOND   CIRCVIINAVIOATIOM   OF   COOK. 


■ 


drama  represented  a  theft,  which  was  accomplished  in  so  dex- 
terous a  manner  as  clearly  to  indicate  the  genius  of  the  peo- 
ple. Cook  looked  for  the  termination  of  the  piece  with  some 
curiosity — anticipating  the  death,  or  at  least  hearty  beating  of 
the  culprits ;  but  in  tnis  he  was  disappointed,  both  principal 
and  accomplices  escaping  in  triumph  with  their  booty.  At 
this  place  ne  took  on  board  a  youth  of  about  seventeen  or 
eighteen  years  of  age,  named  Oedidee  or  Mahine,  a  native  of 
Bolabola,  and  nearly  related  to  Opoony,  the  warlike  sovereign 
of  that  island. 

The  discoverers  departed  from  Ulietea  oh  the  17th,  and 
steered  to  the  west,  inclining  to  the  south,  that  they  might 
avoid  the  tracks  of  former  voyagers,  and  get  into  the  latitude 
of  the  islands  discovered  by  Tasman  and  named  Middleburgh 
and  Amsterdam,*  but  now  known  as  two  of  the  principal  of 
the  Friendly  or  Tonga  archipelago.  On  the  23d,  in  latitude 
19°  18'  S.,  longitude  168°  54'  W.,  they  fell  in  with  two  or 
three  small  islets,  surrounded  by  breakers,  like  most  of  the  low 
isles  in  this  sea,  and  gave  them  the  appellation  of  Hervey. 
On  the  2d  October  they  got  abreast  of  Middleburgh  (called  by 
the  inhabitants  Eooa),  where  an  immense  crowd  gave  them 
welcome  with  loud  shouts,  thronged  round  the  boats,  in  which 
they  rowed  towards  the  land,  offered  native  cloth  and  pther 
articles  in  exchange  for  beads,  and  seemed  more  anxious  to 
give  than  to  receive.  A  chief  conducted  them  to  his  dwelling, 
which  was  built  on  the  shore,  "  at  the  head  of  a  fine  lawn, 
and  under  the  sliade  of  some  shaddock-trees,  in  a  situation 
which  was  most  delightful."  Here  they  were  entertained  with 
songs,  and  invited  to  join  in  a  cava  feast  ;  but,  says  Cook,  ''  I 
was  the  only  one  who  tasted  it ;  the  manner  of  brewing  it 
having  quenched  the  thirst  of  every  one  else."  The  unceas- 
ing kindness  of  the  people,  who  vied  with  each  other  in  their 
endeavours  to  please,  made  our  countrymen  regret  that  the 
season  of  the  year  precluded  a  longer  stay. 

On  the  3d  they  weighed  anchor,  and  bore  down  for  Am- 
sterdam or  Tongataboo,  when  they  were  met  midway  by  some 
canoes.  As  they  sailed  along  the  coast,  they  observed  the 
natives  running  on  the  shore,  and  displaying  small  white  flags, 
which,  being  looked  on  as  tokens  of  peace,  were  answered  by 
hoisting  a  St.  George's  ensign.     Cook  landed  on  the  4th,  and 


*  See  above,  p.  100-109. 


)0K. 


SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK.     261 


in  80  dex- 
•  the  peo- 
with  some 
beating  of 
1  principal 
ooty.  At 
renteen  or 
,  native  of 
sovereign 

17th,  and 
hey  might 
he  latitude 
iddleburgh 
dncipal  of 
in  latitude 
ith  two  or 
of  the  low 
if  Hervey. 
I  (called  by 
Tave  them 
s,  in  which 
and  pther 
anxious  to 
)  dwelling, 
fine  lawn, 
i  situation 
ained  with 
Cook,  "  I 
jrewing  it 
le  unceas- 
er  in  their 
that  the 

for  Am- 
ly  by  some 
lerved  the 
hite  flags, 
swered  by 
e  4th,  and 


I 


was  conducted  over  part  of  the  country  by  a  chief  called  At- 
tago.  He  was  much  surprised  by  the  aspect  of  the  island, 
and  could  have  fancied  himself  transported  into  the  most  fer- 
tile plains  of  Europe.  Not  a  spot  of  waste  ground  was  to  be 
seen — the  roads  took  up  the  least  possible  space,  the  fences 
were  not  above  four  inches  in  breadth,  and  were  often  formed 
of  some  useful  plants.  "  It  was,"  he  writes,  •'  everywhere 
the  same  ;  change  of  place  altered  not  the  scene.  Nature, 
assisted  by  a  little  art,  nowhere  appears  in  more  splendour 
than  at  this  isle.  In  these  delightful  walks  we  met  numbers 
of  people  :  some  travelling  down  to  the  ships  with  their  bur- 
dens of  fruit ;  others  returning  back  empty.  They  all  gave 
U3  the  road,  by  turning  either  to  the  right  or  left,  and  sitting 
down  or  standing  with  their  backs  to  the  fences,  till  we  had 
passed."*  They  showed  neither  distrust  nor  suspicion  of 
their  visiters,  whom  they  permitted  freely  to  ramble  wherever 
curiosity  or  pleasure  invited.  In  physical  peculiarities,  in 
language,  and  in  many  erts  and  customs,  political  and  reli- 
gious, they  bore  a  striking  rcsiemblance  to  the  Society  Island- 
ers. 

As  the  period  for  prosecuting  his  researches  in  the  high 
southern  latitudes  now  approached,  the  commander  judged  it 
advisable  to  revisit  New  Zealand,  where  wood  and  water 
could  be  procured  for  the  next  portion  of  the  voyage.  The 
vessels  accordingly  quitted  Amsterdam  on  the  7th  October, 
and  on  the  next  day  made  the  Pylstaart  or  Tropic-bird  Island 
of  Tasman,  in  latitude  22°  26'  S.,  and  longitude  175°  59'  W. 

On  the  21st  they  descried  the  land  of  New  Zealand ;  but, 
in  consequence  of  baffling  winds  and  dangerous  gales,  in  one 
of  which  the  Adventure  was  lost  sight  of,  Cook  did  not  reach 
the  rendezvous  in  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound  till  the  3d  Novem- 
ber. Here  he  remained  more  than  three  weeks  without  any 
tidings  of  his  consort ;  and  henceforward,  as  they  did  not 
again  meet,  our  attention  must  be  confined  to  the  solitary 
course  of  the  Resolution.  Notwithstanding  the  absence  of 
their  former  attendant,  the  commander  assures  us  that  his 
rrew,  far  from  being  dejected,  looked  as  cheerfully  on  their  ex- 
pedition to  the  south  "as  if  the  Adventure,  or  even  more 
ships,  had  been  in  company."  According  to  Mr.  Forster, 
however,  as  the  expectation  r>f  meeting  with  new  lands  had 


*  Voyage  towards  tbe  South  Pole,  vol.  i.,  p.  SOI. 


262     SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF    COOK. 

become  faint,  a  cruise  to  the  south,  once  so  full  of  promise, 
appeared  no  longer  inviting.  "  If  any  thing,"  says  nc,  "  al- 
leviated the  dreariness  of  the  prospect  v\ritn  a  great  part  of 
our  shipmates,  it  vfas  the  hope  of  completing  the  curcle  round 
the  South  Pole,  in  a  high  latitude,  during  the  next  inhospitable 
summer,  and  of  returning  to  England  within  the  space  of  eight 
months."* 

This  navigation  was  perhaps  one  of  the  dullest  ever  per- 
formed. The  voyagers  left  New  Zealand  on  the  26th  Novem- 
ber, and  steered  to  the  south,  inclining  to  the  east,  with  a  fa- 
vourable wind.  On  the  evening  of  the  6th  December  they 
calculated  themselves  to  be  at  the  antipodes  of  London,  f  Ice 
was  first  seen  on  the  12th,  in  latitude  62°  10'  S.,  longitude 
172*'  W.,  being  11°  30'  farther  south  than  that  first  met  with 
in  the  preceding  year  ;  and  on  the  same  day  an  antarctic  pet- 
erel,  gray  albatrosses,  and  some  other  birds  were  observed. 
On  the  14th  several  ice-islands  and  a  quantity  of  loose  ice 
occurred  ;  and  these  became  more  numerous  as  the  course  to 
the  southeast  by  east  was  pursued.  Next  morning  there  ap- 
peared an  immense  field,  through  the  partitions  of  which  it 
was  not  deemed  safe  to  venture  into  "  a  clear  sea  beyond,"  as 
the  wind  would  not  have  permitted  return.  A  stretch  to  the 
north,  with  some  tacks,  was  therefore  made,  but  not  without 
very  great  risk  from  the  floating  islands.  On  the  22d  they  had 
attained  a  higher  parallel  than  they  had  before  reached,  67° 
31'  S.,  in  longitude  142°  54'  W.  ;  but  next  day,  in  a  little 
lower  latitude,  another  quantity  of  ice  wholly  obstructed  the 
passage  to  the  south.  At  this  time  the  cold  was  most  intense, 
and  there  was  a  strong  gale  at  north,  attended  with  snow  and 
sleet,  whicl;^  froze  to  the  rigging  as  it  fell,  and  made  the  ropes 
like  wires.  Advancing  to  the  nprtheast,  the  ice-islands  were 
found  to  increase  in  number,  nearly  a  hundred  of  them  being 
eeen  at  noon  of  the  24th,  besides  an  immense  quantity  of  smaU 


*  Forster*8  Voyage,  vol.  i.,  p.  526. 

t  "  We  are  the  first  Europeans,"  says  Mr.  Forster,  '*  and,  I  believe  I 
may  add,  the  first  human  beings  who  have  reached  this  point,  where  it 
is  probable  none  will  come  after  us.  A  common  report  prevails,  indeed, 
in  ungland,  concerning  Sir  Francis  Drake,  who  is  said  to  have  visited  the 
antipodes,  which  the  legend  expresses,  by  '  his  having  passed  under  the 
middle  arch  of  London  Bridge :'  but  this  is  a  mistake,  aa  his  track  lay 
along  the  coast  of  America,  and  probably  originates  lYom  his  having  pas- 
sed tbeperioBci,  or  the  point  in  180°  longitude,  on  the  same  circle  of  north 
latitude,  on  the  coast  of  California."— Voyage,  vol.  i.,  p,  537. 


OOK. 

promise, 
he,  "  al- 
!at  part  of 
rcle  round 
hospitable 
ce  of  eight 

ever  per- 
th  Novem- 
with  a  fa- 
mber  they 
lon.t  Ice 
,  longitude 
It  met  with 
arctic  pet- 
observed. 
'  loose  ice 
)  course  to 
there  ap- 
f  which  it 
eyond,"  as 
stch  to  the 
lot  without 
!d  they  had 
iched,  67° 
in  a  little 
ructed  the 
)st  intense, 
i  snow  and 
i  the  ropes 
lands  were 
^lem  being 
ty  of  smaU 


,  I  believe  I 
nt,  where  it 
ails,  indeed, 
e  visited  tlie 
>d  under  the 
is  track  lay 
having  pas- 
rcle  of  north 


SECOND    CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK.    209 

pieces ;  but,  by  taking  advantage  of  every  light  air  to  drift 
alonz  with  them,  a  tolerably  easy  berth  was  obtained,  in  which, 
nearly  in  the  same  manner  as  during  the  voyage  of  the  previous 
year,  our  navigators  held  their  Christmas  feast.  They  were 
fortunate  at  this  time  in  having  continual  daylight  and  clear 
weather,  for  "  had  it  been  as  foggy  as  on  some  of  the  prece- 
ding days,  nothing  less  than  a  miracle,"  says  Cook,  ''  could 
nave  saved  us  from  being  dashed  to  pieces."  Still  the  dan- 
gers of  the  situation  were  so  great,  that  on  the  26th,  in  lati- 
tude 66°  15',  it  was  judged  prudent  to  make  another  trip  to- 
wards the  north,  and,  by  the  9th  January,  1774,  he  found  him- 
self in  latitude  48°  17',  in  longitude  127°  10'  W.  At  this 
period  most  of  his  crew  were  becoming  diseased,  though  not 
seriously.  "  A  general  languor  and  sickly  look  were  mani- 
fested in  almost  every  face,"  says  Mr.  Forster,  **  and  the  cap- 
tain himself  was  pale  and  lean,  and  had  lost  all  appetite."  On 
the  11th  the  course  to  the  south  was  resumed,  and,  on  the 
seventh  day  after,  the  voyagers  were  in  latitude  "61°  9'  S.,  lon- 
gitude 116°  7'  W.  They  crossed  for  the  third  time  the  an- 
tarctic circle  on  the  26th,  and  on  the  30th  reached  the  highest 
southern  latitude  which  had  been  then  attained  by  ai^  discov- 
erer, namely,  71°  10',  in  west  longitude  106°  54'.* 

The  obstacles  which  arrested  Cook's  farther  progress,  and 
the  reasons  which  induced  him  to  abandon  any  attempt  in 
other  directions,  cannot  be  better  stated  than  in  his  own 
words  :  '*  At  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  perceived  the 
clouds,  over  the  horizon  to  the  south,  to  be  of  an  unusual  snow- 
white  brightness,  which,  we  knew,  announced  our  approach  to 
field-ice.  Soon  after  it  was  seen  from  the  topmast-head,  and 
at  eight  o'clock  we  were  close  to  its  edge.     It  extended  east 

and  west,  far  beyond  the  reach  of  our  sight 

Ninety-seven  ice-hills  were  distinctly  seen  within  the  field, 
besides  those  on  the  outside  ;  many  of  them  very  large,  and 
looking  like  a  ridge  of  mountains,  rising  one  above  another 
till  they  were  lost  in  the  clouds.  The  outer  or  northern  edge 
of  this  immense  field  was  composed  of  loose  or  broken  ice 

*  Only  one  navijrator  has  penetrated  beyond  this  point.  On  the  20th 
February,  1823,  Captain  Weddel  reached  the  latitude  of  74''  15',  in  the  lon- 
gitude of  34^  16'  45"  W.  In  this  situation  no  land  was  visible,  and  only 
four  ice-islands  were  in  sight ;  but  the  wind  blowing  fresh  at  south  pre- 
vented his  farther  progress,  and  he  was  reluctantly  constrained  to  return. 
— Weddel's  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  p.  37. 


1    If 


264   SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK. 


Ji 


I' , 


close  packed  together,  so  that  it  was  not  possible  for  any 
thing  to  enter  it.  This  was  about  a  mile  broad,  within  which 
was  solid  ice  in  one  continued  compact  body.  It  was  rather 
low  and  flat  (except  the  hills),  but  seemed  to  increase  in 
height  as  you  traced  it  to  the  south,  in  which  direction  it  ex- 
tended beyond  our  sight.  I  will  not  say  it  was  impossible 
anywhere  to  get  farther  to  the  south ;  but  the  attempting  it 
would  have  been  a  dangerous  and  rash  enterprise,  and  what, 
I  believe,  no  man  in  my  situation  would  have  thought  of.  It 
was,  indeed,  my  opinion,  as  well  as  the  opinion  of  most  or 
board,  that  this  ice  extended  quite  to  the  pole,  or  perhaps 

1'oined  to  some  land,  to  which  it  had  been  fixed  from  the  ear- 
iest  time ;  and  that  it  is  here,  that  is  to  the  south  of  this 
parallel,  where  all  the  ice  we  find  scattered  up  and  down  to 
the  north  is  first  formed,  and  afterward  broken  oflF  by  gales  of 
wind  or  other  causes,  and  brought  to  the  north  by  the  cur- 
rents, which  we  always  found  to  set  in  that  direction  in  the 
high  latitudes.  As  we  drew  near  this  ice  some  penguins  were 
heard,  but  none  seen ;  and  but  few  other  birds,  or  any  other 
thing  that  could  induce  us  to  think  any  land  was  near.  And 
yet  I  think  there  must  be  some  to  the  south  behind  this  ice ; 
but  if  theve  is,  it  can  aflford  no  better  retreat  for  birds,  or  any 
other  animals,  than  the  ice  itself,  with  which  it  must  be  whol- 
ly covered,  I,  who  had  ambition  not  only  to  go  farther  than 
any  one  had  been  before,  but  as  far  as  it  was  possible  for  man 
to  go,  was  not  sorry  at  meeting  with  this  interruption,  as  it, 
in  some  measure,  relieved  us,  at  least  shortened  the  dangers 
and  hardships  inseparable  from  the  navigation  of  the  southern 
polar  regions.  Since,  therefore,  we  could  not  proceed  one 
inch  farther  to  the  south,  no  other  reason  need  be  assigned 
for  my  tacking  and  standing  back  to  the  north."* 

On  the  4th  February  he  found  himself  in  latitude  66°  42' 
S.,  and  longitude  99°  44'  W. ;  and  though  now  convinced 
that  there  was  no  continent  except  in  extremely  high*  lati- 
tudes, he  was  of  opinion  that  "  there  remained,  nevertheless, 
room  for  rery  large  islands  m  places  wholly  unexamined ; 
and  that  many  of  those  which  were  formerly  discovered  are 
but  imperfectly  explored,  and  their  situations  are  imperfectly 
known.  For  me,"  he  continues,  "  at  this  time,  to  have  quit- 
ted this  sea,  with  a  good  ship  expressly  sent  out  on  discov- 


i 


*  Voyage  towards  the  Stouth  Fole,  vol.  i.,  p.  267, 268. 


;ooK. 


SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK.  265 


ble  for  any 
/ithin  which 
;  was  rather 
increase  in 
action  it  ex- 
I  impossible 
:tempting  it 
,  and  what, 
ught  of.  It 
of  most  or 
,  or  perhaps 
om  the  ear- 
)uth  of  this 
id  down  to 
by  gales  of 
by  the  cur- 
tion  in  the 
iguins  were 
•r  any  other 
near.  And 
id  this  ice ; 
irds,  or  any 
ist  be  whol- 
arther  than 
)le  for  mart 
)tion,  as  it, 
le  dangers 
le  southern 
roceed  one 
e  assigned 

de  65°  42' 
convinced 
high'lati- 
vertheless, 
examined ; 
)vered  are 
mperfcctly 
have  quit- 
)n  discov- 

8. 


eriet ,  %  healthy  crew,  and  not  in  want  either  of  stores  or  of 
provisions,  would  have  been  betraying,  not  only  a  wapt  of 
perseverance,  but  of  judgment,  in  supposing  the  South  Pa- 
cific Ocean  to  have  been  so  well  explored  that  nothing  re- 
mained to  be  done  in  it."  He  therefore  resolved  to  procMd 
in  search,  first,  of  the  land  said  to  have  been  discovered  by 
Juan  Fernandez  towards  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
then  of  Davis's  Land  or  Easter  Island  of  Roggewein ;  and, 
finally,  of  the  Australia  del  Espiritu  Santo  of  Quiros.* 

Cook  had  for  some  time  concealed  from  every  person  on 
board  a  dangerous  obstruction  of  his  bowels,  and  endeavoured 
to  overcome  it  by  taking  hardly  any  sustenance;  but  this 
treatment  aggravated  rather  than  removed  the  malady,  the 
symptoms  of  which  at  length,  when  he  had  reached  a  more 
northern  latitude,  were  so  alarming  that  his  life  was  in  danger. 
The  disease  fortunately  abated  after  a  week's  confinement  to 
his  couch ;  but  still  so  great  was  his  debility,  that  no  one 
could  doubt  the  urgency  of  hastening  to  a  place  of  refresh- 
ment as  the  only  chance  of  preserving  his  existence.  He 
speaks  of  his  own  condition  at  this  time  very  briefly.  "  I 
was  now  taken  ill  of  the  bilious  colic,  which  was  so  violent 
as  to  confine  me  to  my  bed ;  so  that  the  management  of  the 
ship  was  left  to  Mr.  Cooper,  the  first  officer,  who  conducted 
her  very  much  to  my  satisfaction.  It  was  several  days  be- 
fore the  most  dangerous  symptoms  of  my  disorder  were  re- 
moved  When  I  began  to  recover,  a  favourite 

dog  belonging  to  Mr.  Forster  fell  a  sacrifice  to  my  tender 
stomach ;  and  I  could  eat  of  this  flesh,  as  well  as  broth  made 
of  it,  when  I  could  taste  nothing  else."t 

On  the  26th  February  he  was  in  latitude  37°  62'  S.,  and 
west  longitude  101°  10' ;  and  having  now  crossed  his  track 
to  Otaheite  in  1769,  he  was  satisfied  that  the  large  and  fertUe 
land,  "  richer  than  Peru,"  said  to  have  been  visited  by  Fernan- 
dez, could  be  no  more  than  a  small  island,  if,  indeed,  any 
such  discovery  was  ever  made.  He  then  stood  away  to  the 
north  to  get  into  the  latitude  of  Easter  Island,  which  had  been 
unsuccessfully  sought  by  Byron,  Carteret,  and  Bougainville. 
On  the  mommg  of  the  11th  of  March,  in  latitude  27°  6'  30" 
S.,  longitude  109°  46'  20"  W.,  land  was  descried  from  the 

*  See  above,  p.  63 ;  p.  112  and  132-125 ;  and  p.  83-85. 
t  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  vol.  i.,  p.  S74. 


<     11 1 


■  i 


r 

! 

t. 


\: 


266   SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK. 

mast-head,  and  by  noon  Cook  had  no  doubt  it  waa  that  dis- 
covered by  Edward  Davis  in  1687.  *'  The  joy,"  says  Forster, 
"  which  this  fortunate  event  spread  on  every  countenance  is 
scarcely  to  be  described.  We  had  been  a  hundred  and  three 
days  out  of  sight  of  land  ;  and  the  rigorous  weather  to  the 
south,  the  fatigues  of  continual  attendance  during  storms,  or 
amid  dangerous  masses  of  ice,  the  sudden  changes  of  climate, 
and  the  long  continuance  of  a  noxious  diet,  all  together  had 
emaciated  and  worn  out  our  crew."* 

A  landing  was  effected  on  the  14th,  and  the  natives  be- 
haved ill  a  peaceable  manner,  though  expert  and  daring 
thieves  ;  they  appeared  to  know  the  fatal  powers  of  the  mus- 
ket, which  they  regarded  with  much  awe— arising,  probably, 
from  traditionary  accounts  of  Roggewein's  visit.  The  com- 
mander was,  however,  disappointed  to  find,  that  though  there 
were  several  plantations  of  sweet  potatoes,  plantains,  and  su- 

¥ur-canes,  few  places  could  afford  less  accommodation, 
here  was  no  secure  anchoring-ground,  no  wood,  and  only  a 
scanty  supply  of  fresh  water  of  the  most  wretched  quality  ; 
even  fish  were  so  rare  that  none  could  be  caught,  at  least  with 
hook  and  Une ;  while  both  land  and  sea  birds  were  very 
scarce,  and,  except  a  few  small  fowls  and  some  rats,  supposed 
to  be  eaten  by  the  natives,  no  animal  food  was  to  be  had.  In 
his  opinion,  nothing  will  ever  induce  ships  to  touch  at  this  isl- 
and but  the  utmost  distress.  The  inhabitants,  whose  num- 
bers he  estimated  at  600  or  700,  resembled  in  many  respects 
those  of  the  isles  towards  the  west,  but  had  made  less  prog- 
ress in  some  of  the  arts,  and  were  worse  provided  with  huts 
and  household  utensils.  Their  affinity  to  the  other  tribes  of 
Polynesia  at  the  same  time  was  so  striking,  "  that,"  we  are  as- 
sured, "  no  one  will  doubt  that  they  have  had  the  same  ori- 
gin." It  was  not  observed  that  any  man  reached  the  stature 
of  six  feet ;  *'  so  far  are  they  from  being  giants,  as  one  of  the 
authors  of  Roggewein's  voyage  asserts."  Only  three  or  four 
canoes,  very  mean,  and  buih  of  many  pieces  sewed  together 
with  small  line,  were  seen  in  the  island.  They  had  outrig- 
gers, m  the  manner  so  common  in  the  South  Sea,  but  were 
small,  and  by  no  means  fit  for  distant  navigation. 

Cook  saw  only  two  or  three  of  the  statues  described  by  the 
Dutch,  but  some  of  his  companions  who  travelled  over  the 

*  Forster's  Voyage,  vol. !.,  p.  552".  't«^'  ♦ 


COOK. 


SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK.  267 


Mraa  that  dis- 
says  Fonter, 
mntenance  is 
red  and  three 
eather  to  the 
ng  storms,  or 
38  of  climate, 
together  had 

natives  be- 

and  daring 

I  of  the  mus- 

ng,jmrobably, 

The  com- 

though  there 

ains,  and  su- 

ommodation. 

I,  and  only  a 

lied  quality; 

at  least  with 

s  were  very 

ts,  supposed 

be  had.     In 

h  at  this  isl- 

Mrhose  num- 

any  respects 

e  less  prog- 

:d  with  huts 

ler  tribes  of 

"  we  are  as- 

e  same  ori- 

the  stature 

one  of  the 

uee  or  four 

}d  tc^ether 

lad  outrig- 

,  but  were 

ibed  by  the 
1  over  the 


Monumants  on  Easttr  Island        * 

country  observed  many  more.  They  were  from  fifteen  to 
twenty-seven  feet  in  height,  and  from  six  to  nine  in  breadth 
over  the  shoulders ;  and  each  had  or  its  head  a  large  cylindric 
block  of  a  red  colour,  wrought  perfectly  round.  The  stone 
of  which  they  were  made  was  gray,  and  seemingly  different 
from  any  naturally  belonging  to  the  island.  The  carving  at 
the  upper  part,  which  conunonly  represented  a  sort  of  human 
head  and  bust,  was  rude,  but  not  altogether  contemptible  ;  ia 
particular,  the  nose  and  chin  were  pretty  fairly  deUneated, 
while  the  ears  were  long  beyond  proportion ;  and,  in  the  bod- 
ies, there  was  hardly  any  resemblance  to  the  human  figure. 
Their  magnitude  was  such  as  to  make  their  erection  a  subject 
of  perplexity,  especially  when  it  was  considered  how  little  the 
natives  were  acquainted  with  the  mechanical  powers.  In  the 
opinion  of  Cook,  the  present  inhabitants  had  no  concern  in 
rearing  them,  as  even  the  foundations  of  some  were  carelessly 
suffered  to  fall  into  ruin.  Besides  these  monuments  of  an- 
tiquity, many  little  heaps  of  stones  were  piled  up  along  the 


H 


268   SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK. 


ti 


^^ 


I 


coast,  and  some  of  the  savages  possessed  human  figures  carved 
with  considerable  neatness  from  narrow  pieces  of  wood  about 
two  feet  long.  Of  these  images,  the  native  of  Bolabola,  Oe- 
didee,  purchased  several,  conceiving  they  would  be  much  val- 
ued in  his  own  country,  the  workmansbap  of  which  they  sur- 
passed. 

The  navigators  sailed  thence  on  the  16th  March,  and,  fa- 
voured by  a  pleasant  breeze,  steered  to  the  northwest  to 
make  the  Islands  Las  Marquesas,  which  had  not  been  visited 
since  their  discovery  in  1595.  Shortly  after  putting  to  sea, 
the  commander  was  afflicted  with  a  recurrence  of  his  bilious 
disorder ;  '  at  its  attack  was  less  violent  than  formerly.  On 
the  6th  c,  ipril,  in  latitude  9°  26'  S.,  and  longitude  138°  14' 
W.,  an  island  was  seen,  and  named  Hood,  in  honour  of  the 
gentleman  who  first  perceived  it.  Two  hours  after  another 
appeared ;  and  when  a  third  was  discerned  the  next  morning, 
every  one  was  satisfied  that  the  cluster  was  that  explored  by 
Mendana.*  Cook  coasted  the  southeastern  shore  of  La 
Dominica,  and,  passing  through  the  channel  which  divides  it 
from  Santa  Christina,  ran  along  that  island  in  search  of  the  port 
Madre  de  Dios  of  his  Spanish  predecessor,  in  the  entrance  of 
which  he  anchored  on  the  7th.  Ten  or  twelve  canoes  imme- 
diately approached  from  the  shore,  but  some  address  was  re- 
quired to  get  them  alongside  of  the  vessel.  At  length,  a  few 
presents  brought  one  of  them  under  the  quarter-gallery,  when 
the  rest  followed ;  and  after  exchanging  bread-fruit  and  fish 
for  nails,  they  retired  peaceably.  Each  canoe  was  observed 
to  have  a  heap  of  stones  on  its  bow,  and  every  man  had  a 
sling  tied  round  his  hand.  Many  more  appeared  next  morn- 
ing, bringing  similar  provisions  and  one  pig,  which  were  bar- 
tered as  before ;  but  not  with  perfect  honesty,  till  a  musket- 
ball  was  fired  over  the  head  of  one  man  whose  unfairness  was 
conspicuous.  A  great  many  of  the  natives  were  at  this  time 
on  board,  and  the  commander,  who  was  then  in  one  of  the 
boats,  having  been  informed  of  the  theft  of  an  iron  stanchion, 
gave  orders  to  fire  over  the  canoe  in  which  the  plunderer  was 
making  off,  but  not  to  kill  any  one.  In  the  tumult  which  en- 
sued, his  commands,  unfortunately,  were  not  distinctly  heard, 
and  the  depredator  was  shot  dead  at  the  third  discharge^ 
The  iron  was  instantly  thrown  overboard,  and  the  two  other  per- 


■ 


*  8m  abov*,  p.  68, 69. 


COOK. 


SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF   COOK.  269 


figures  carved 
f  wood  about 
Bolabola,  Oe- 
be  much  val- 
lich  they  sur- 

irch,  and,  fa- 
lorthwest  to 
been  visited 
tting  to  sea, 
)f  his  bilious 
rmerly.     On 
ide  138°  14' 
onour  of  the 
ifter  another 
Bxt  morning, 
explored  by 
bore  of  La 
:h  divides  it 
h  of  the  port 
entrance  of 
noes  imme- 
ess  was  re- 
ngth,  a  few 
Uery,  when 
uit  and  fish 
IS  observed 
man  had  a 
lext  morn- 
were  bar- 
a  musket- 
imess  was 
t  this  time 
)ne  of  the 
stanchion, 
iderer  was 
which  en- 
itly  heard, 
iischarge» 
other  per- 


sons in  the  skiff  leaped  into  the  sea,  though  in  a  short  time  they 
clambered  again  into  their  vessel.  "  One  of  them,"  says 
Cook,  "  a  man  grown,  sat  baling  the  blood  and  water  out  of 
the  canoe  in  a  kind  of  hysteric  laugh ;  the  other,  a  youth 
about  fourteen  or  fifteen  years  of  age,  looked  on  the  deceased 
with  a  serious  and  dejected  countenance ;  we  had  afterward 
reason  to  believe  he  was  his  son."  This  unhappy  event  was 
followed  by  the  precipitate  retreat  of  all  the  savages.  Their 
fears  v/ere,  however,  after  a  short  space,  allayed,  and  for  a 
time  barter  was  carried  on  with  them  advantageously — ^vari- 
ous fruits,  pigs,  and  fowls  being  obtained  on  exceedingly  rea- 
sonable terms,  till  the  indiscretion  of  i^ome  gentlemen  intro- 
duced new  articles  of  trade,  especially  red  feathers,  collected 
at  the  Island  of  Amsterdam.  This  effectually  put  an  end  to 
the  intercourse ;  nails  and  all  other  things  were  despised  in 
comparison ;  and,  in  the  absence  of  a  sufficient  stock  of  feath- 
ers, there  remained  no  alternative  but  to  quit  the  country. 
This  was  a  serious  mortification  to  the  crew,  who  had  now 
been  nineteen  weeks  at  sea,  and  confined  all  that  time  to  salt 
diet.  So  serviceable,  however,  had  the  many  antiscorbutic 
articles  proved,  that  at  this  period  there  was  scarcely  one  sick 
person  in  the  ship. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  11th  Cook  departed  from  Resolu- 
tion Bay,  as  he  named  the  harbour  where  he  had  lain,  and 
steered  nearly  southwest,  with  a  fine  wind,  till  the  morning 
of  the  17th,  when  he  fell  in  with  the  most  easterly  of  the  King 
George^s  Islands  of  Byron,  and  ascertained  its  native  appella- 
tion to  be  Tiookea.  Another  of  the  same  group  was  seen  the 
next  day  ;  and  on  the  19th  four  small  and  half-overfiowed  isl- 
ands were  observed,  and  named  after  Sir  Hugh  Palliser.  The 
succeeding  evening,  a  great  swell  rolling  from  the  south,  con- 
vinced him  that  he  was  now  clear  of  those  low  lands ;  on 
which  account,  and  being  favoured  by  a  strong  gale,  he  bore 
down  for  Otaheite. 

A  pleasant  voyage  of  little  more  than  a  day  brought  them 
within  view  of  that  island,  and  spread  general  joy  on  board. 
"  The  forests  on  the  mountains,"  says  Mr.  Forster,  "  were  all 
clad  in  fresh  foliage,  and  glowed  in  many  variegated  hues.  .  . 
The  plains  shone  forth  in  the  greatest  luxuriance  of  colours, 
the  brightest  teints  of  verdure  being  profusely  lavished  upon 
their  fertile  groves  ;  in  short,  the  whole  called  to  our  mind 
the  description  of  Calypso's  enchanted  island."    The  Resolu* 

Z2 


i' 


I\    ' 


270  SECOND    CIRCUMNAYIOATION    OF   COOK. 


f 


tion  anchored  in  Matavai  Bay  on  the  22d ;  and  no  sooner  waa 
her  arrival  known,  than  the  friendly  natives  visited  their  old 
acquaintances  with  every  demonstration  of  gladness.  Provis* 
ions  had  become  very  plentiful  during  the  eighteen  months* 
absence  of  the  discoverers,  and  the  desire  to  possess  the  red 
feathers,  which  had  been  obtained  at  the  Tonga  Islands,  rose 
almost  to  a  phrensy  among  the  people.  The  improvement  in 
the  general  state  of  the  country  surprised  even  those  who  had 
thought  most  highly  of  its  capabilities,  and  induced  Cook  to 
protract  his  stay  much  longer  than  he  originally  intended.  Hogs 
were  now  abundant,  fruits  of  every  kind  equally  so,  and  indus- 
try had  displayed  itself  in  the  erection  of  habitations  and  the 
construction  of  an  immense  number  of  canoes.  Many  of  the 
latter  were  destined  for  an  expedition  against  Eimeo,  which 
had  thrown  off  the  yoke  of  Otaheite  ;  and  our  countrymen  had 
an  opportunity  of  seeing  a  grand  naval  review  of  the  larger 
part  of  the  island-forces.  The  war-canoes,  each  from  fifty  to 
ninety  feet  long,  and  double  or  joined  together  by  strong  transr 
verse  beams,  amounted  to  160 ;  and  of  smaller  craft,  designed, 
it  was  supposed,  to  serve  as  transports  or  victuallers,  there 
were  170 ;  in  all  330  vi^ssels,  carrying,  by  Cook's  calculation, 
7760  men,  warriors  and  rowers.  The  former  wore  vast  quan- 
tities of  cloth,  turbans,  breastplates,  and  helmets  ;  and  their 
weapons  were  clubs,  spears,  and  stones. 

Having  executed  those  repairs  on  his  vessel  which  the  tem- 
pestuous weather  of  the  high  southern  latitudes  had  rendered 
necessary,  he  again  set  sail  from  Otaheite  on  the  14th  of  May. 
As  the  ship  was  clearing  the  bay,  one  of  the  gunner's  mates, 
who  had  determined  to  remain  in  the  island,  slipped  overboard 
with  the  intention  of  swimming  to  the  shore,  but  was  instantly 
taken  up.  "  When,"  says  the  commander,  "  I  considered 
this  man's  sitl^ation  in  life,  I  did  not  think  the  resolution  he 
had  taken  so  extraordinary  as  it  may  at  first  appear.  .  .  . 
I  never  learned  that  he  had  either  friends  or  connexions  to 
confine  him  to  any  particular  part  of  the  world ;  all  nations 
were  alike  to  him.  Where,  then,  could  such  a  man  be  more 
happy,  than  at  one  of  these  isles,  where,  in  one  of  the  finest 
climates  in  the  world,  he  could  enjoy,  not  only  the  necessaries, 
but  the  luxuries  of  life,  in  ease  and  plenty  '!"* 

*  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  vol.  1.,  p.  349.  Theit  reflections 
may  ptrhapa  recall  lo  the  recolleetlon  of  the  reader  a  pasMge  In  The 
Mtmi:— 


tl 


SOX. 


8SC0ND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF   COOK.  271 


sooner  wa* 
d  their  old 
8.    Provis- 
m  months* 
:s8  the  red 
lands,  rose 
Jvement  in 
le  who  had 
d  Cook  to 
led.   Hogs 
and  indus- 
ns  and  the 
any  of  the 
leo,  which 
rymen  had 
the  larger 
3m  fifty  to 
ong  transr 
designed, 
lers,  there 
ilculation, 
^ast  quan- 
and  their 

the  tem- 
rendered 
1  of  May. 
's  mates, 
►verboard 
instantly 
msidered 
iution  he 

xions  to 
nations 
be  more 
he  finest 
essaries. 


efleetiona 
e  InTlkr 


On  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day  the  English  anchored  at 
Huaheine,  where  they  found  the  old  chief  Oree  as  kind  as 
ever.  When  paying  him  a  farewell-visit,  Cook  told  him  that 
they  would  meet  no  more  ;  on  which  he  burst  into  tears,  and 
said,  "  Let  your  sons  come  ;  we  will  treat  them  well."  The 
commander  esteemed  him  as  "a  good  man,  in  the  utmost 
sense  of  the  word,"  but  surrounded  by  persons  of  less  worth, 
some  of  whom  took  advantage  of  his  old  age,  and,  encouraged 
by  the  carelessness  of  many  of  our  voyagers,  committed  acts 
of  violence,  "  which  no  man  at  Otaheite  ever  durst  attempt." 

Leaving  this  on  the  23d,  a  few  hours  brought  the  vessel  to 
Ulietea,  where  she  anchored  on  the  following  morning.  Cook 
speaks  with  great  feeling  of  the  hospitable  manner  in  which  he 
was  treated  at  this  island,  more  especially  by  Oreo  and  his 
family.  At  parting,  he  writes,  "the  chief,  his  wife,  and 
daughter,  but  especially  the  two  latter,  scarcely  ever  ceased 

weeping His  last  request  was  for  me  to  return  : 

when  he  saw  he  could  not  obtain  that  promise,  he  asked  the 
name  of  my  marai  (burying-place).  As  strange  a  question  as 
this  was,  I  hesitated  not  a  moment  to  tell  him  Stepney,  the 
parish  in  which  I  live  when  in  London.  I  was  made  to  repeat 
It  several  times  over  till  they  could  pronounce  it ;  then,  *  Step* 
ney,  marai  no  TootCy  was  echoed  through  a  hundred  mouths 
at  once.  I  afterward  found  the  same  question  had  been  put 
to  Mr.  Forster  by  a  man  on  shore ;  but  he  gave  a  different, 
and  indeed  more  proper  answer,  by  saying,  no  man  who  used 
the  sea  could  say  where  he  should  be  buried.  What  greater 
proof  could  we  have  of  these  people  esteeming  us  as  friends, 
than  their  wishing  lo  remember  us  even  beyond  the  period  of 
our  lives  1  They  had  been  repeatedly  told  that  we  should  see 
them  no  more ;  they  then  wanted  to  know  where  we  were  to 


"  Men  without  country,  who,  too  long  estranged, 
Had  found  no  native  home,  or  found  it  changed, 
And,  half  uncivilized,  preferr'd  the  cave 
Of  some  soft  savage  to  the  uncertain  wave — 
The  gushing  fVuits  that  nature  gave  untill'd : 
The  wood  without  a  path  but  where  they  wiU'd; 
The  £.^:d  o*er  which  promiecuous  Plenty  pour'd 
Her  bom ;  the  equal  land  without  a  lord ; 
The  earth,  whose  mine  was  on  its  flice,  unsold, 
The  glowing  sun  and  produce  all  Us  gold.'* 

Byrom's  WorKs,  vol.  xiv.,  p.  IM. 


S72  SECOND    CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF   COOK. 


mingle  with  our  parent  dust."*  He  quitted  Ulietea  on  the  6th 
June,  leaving  Oedidee  behind  him,  to  their  mutual  regret. 

At  one  time  he  intended  to  visit  Bolabola,  but  this  design 
was  abandoned  for  want  of  leisure  ;  and  "  taking  a  final  leave 
of  these  happy  isles,  on  which  benevolent  Nature  has  spread 
her  luxuriant  sweets  with  a  lavish  hand,"  he  directed  his 
course  to  the  west.  On  the  next  morning  he  fell  in  with  the 
Howe  Island  of  Wallis,  and  following  a  track  a  little  more  to 
the  south,  in  ten  days  he  found  anoth(^r  insular  reef,  which  he 
named  after  Lord  Palmerston.  On  the  20th  he  saw  one  that 
was  inhabited,  and  from  the  indomitable  fierceness  of  the  peo- 
ple, through  which  even  his  life  was  in  danger,  denominated 
it  Savage.  It  lies  in  latitude  19°  1'  S.,  longitude  169°  37' 
W.,  is  about  eleven  leagues  in  compass,  of  a  circular  form, 
and  has  deep  water  close  to  its  shores.  Favoured  by  a  gentle 
trade*wifld,  the  Resolution  pursued  her  route  to  the  south- 
west, and  passing,  on  the  25th,  through  various  islets,  several 
of  which  were  connected  by  breakers  or  reefs  of  rocks,  an- 
chored on  the  succeeding  day  about  a  mile  from  the  northern 
shore  of  Annamooka  or  Rotterdam,  one  of  the  Friendly  or 
Tonga  group.  Here  the  gallant  officer  experienced  no  small 
trouble  from  the  dishonesty  of  the  natives,  which  he  was 
obliged  to  check  by  prompt  and  severe  measures — seizing  some 
of  their  canoes,  and  firing  small  shot  at  one  of  the  most  reso- 
lute of  the  culprits,  who,  besides  trifling  articles,  had  pos- 
sessed themselves  of  two  muskets.  These  were  forthwith 
given  up,  and  mutual  good  feelings  restored.  The  produc- 
tions of  this  place  were  found  to  be  the  eame  ae  those  of  Eooa 
or  Amsterdam  ;  but  hogs  and  fowls,  with  some  kinds  of  fruit, 
were  not  so  plentiful :  there  seemed  also  to  be  more  waste 
land,  and  the  people  generally  were  poorer.  He  departed  from 
Annamooka  6n  the  29th,  and  steered  to  the  southwest,  passing 
between  two  islands  of  the  same  group,  of  which  the  native 
titles  are  Kao  and  Tofooa.  Continuing  his  course  to  the  west, 
on  the  first  July  he  fell  in  with  an  island  about  a  league  in 
length  and  half  that  extent  in  width,  situated  in  latitude  19° 
48'  S.,  and  longitude  178°  2'  W.  He  named  it  Turtle  Isl- 
and, and  its  few  inhabitants,  though  armed  with  clubs  and 
spears,  fled  at  the  approach  of  a  boat. 

For  thirteen  days  the  Resolution  held  on  her  westerly  track, 


foil 

wej 

hea 

the 

moi 

see 

the 

Gra 


Vayage  towards  ttie  SouHi  Pole,  vol.  i.,  p.  373, 


OK. 

on  the  5th 
regret, 
his  design 
final  leave 
las  spread 
rected  his 
n  with  the 
]e  more  to 
,  which  he 
V  one  that 
)f  the  peo- 
nominatcd 

169°  37' 
ular  form, 
y  a  gentle 
;he  south- 
ts,  several 
rocks,  an- 
i  northern 
riendly  or 

no  small 

he  was 
sing  some 
lost  reso- 
had  pos- 
forthwith 

produc- 
H  of  Eooa 

of  fruit, 
>re  waste 
rted  from 

passing 
native 
he  west, 

ague  in 
ude  19° 
irtle  Isl- 
ubs  and 

ly  track, 


e 


SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK.   273 

followed  by  strong  and  steady  gales.  On  the  16th  July  the 
weather  changed,  the  sky  became  fog^,  the  wind  blew  in 
heavy  squalls,  and  was  attended  with  ram,  signs  which,  withft. 
the  tropics,  generally  indicate  the  neighbourhood  of  some 
mountainous  country.  On  the  same  afternoon  high  land  was 
seen  bearing  southwest,  and  '<  no  one  doubted  that  this  was 
the  Australia  del  Espiritu  Santo  of  Quiros'* — L'Archipel  deo 
Grandes  Cyclades  of  Bougainville.^  Cook  sailed  round  the 
north  end  of  the  He  Aurore  of  his  French  predecec'^ir ;  and 
during  the  18th  continued  to  ply  between  it  and  L'Isle  des 
L^preur.  On  the  20th  he  stretched  across  to  He  de  la  Pen- 
tecote,  and  passing  another  called  by  the  natives  Ambrym, 
anchored  the  next  day  on  the  northeast  side  of  an  island,  of 
which  he  discovered  the  name  to  be  MallicoUo.f  The  natives 
were  evidently  of  a  race  in  every  respect  different  from  the 
inhabitants  of  any  of  the  countries  he  had  yet  visited.  "  They 
were,"  says  he,  "  the  most  ugly,  ill-proportioned  people  I  ever 
saw ;"  their  stature  was  diminutive  ;  they  had  "  flat  faces  and 
monkey  countenances  ;'*  their  complexion  was  very  dark,  and 
their  hair  short  and  curly.  But  few  women  were  seen,  and 
these  had  their  heads,  shoulders,  and  faces  painted  of  a  red 
colour.  The  language  spoken  was  distinct  from  that  of  the  other 
South  Sea  Islands :  "  Of  eighty  words,"  writes  Cook,  "  which 
Mr.  Forster  collected,  hardly  one  bears  any  afHnity  to  the 
tongue  of  any  other  place  I  had  ever  been  at.'*  From  hence, 
on  the  23d,  he  proceeded  towards  the  south,  inclining  east- 
ward, till,  having  passed  Ambrym,  Paoom,  Apee,  Monument, 
Three  Hills,  Shepherd's,  Montagu,  Hinchinbrook,  and  Sand- 
wich Islands,  he  anchored  ou  :he  3d  of  August  on  the  south- 
east side  of  Erromango.  The  treachery  of  the  natives  led  to 
a  skirmish ,  in  which  some  of  them  lost  their  lives ;  and  the 
following  evening  he  sailed  for  the  neighbouring  Island  of 
Tanna,  where  he  found  an  anchorage  on  the  5th.  The  next 
day  the  ship  was  moored  close  to  the  shore,  so  as  to  afford 
to  the  landirig-piace  and  to  the  whole  harbour  the  protection  of 
her  artillery.  Sonoe  thousands  of  the  inhabitants  were  drawn  up 
on  the  beach,  evidently  with  hostile  intentions ;  but  the  dis- 

♦  See  above,  p.  188-190. 

t  "Some  of  our  people,"  it  is  added,  "  pronounce  it  Manicolo  orMan> 
icola."— Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  vol.  H.,  p.  39.  There  can  be 
no  donbt  that  it  ie  the  same  country  of  v/hich  Uuiros  received  tidings 
finom  tha  chief  or  Taumaoo.    8ee  above,  p.  83. 


274     SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF    COOK. 


J  ( 


If. , 


11  f 


III 


--•rSrrA^: 


Man  of  the  Island  of  Tanna. 

charge  of  a  few  guns  speedily  dispersed  them,  and  the  voyagers, 
though  watched  with  strict  jealousy,  were  allowed  to  explore  the 
country  in  peace.  The  natives  were  considered  as  a  distinct 
race  from  tjjose  of  Mallicollo  or  of  Erromango ;  they  were 
of  the  middle  size,  rather  slender,  nimble  and  active,  and  hr*  */- 
ing  for  the  most  part  good  features  and  pleasing  countenances. 
They  were  found  to  possess  tw^  languages  ;  the  one,  peculiar, 
it  was  understood,  to  themselves  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Er- 
romango and  Annatom,  the  other  the  same  with  that  of  the 
Tonga  group.  Their  complexion  was  very  dtrk,  their  hair 
for  the  most  part  black  or  brown,  of  considerable  length,  and 
crisp  and  curly.  "  They  separate  it,"  we  are  told,  "  into 
small  locks,  which  they  woold  or  cue  round  with  the  rind  of  a 
slender  plant,  down  to  about  an  inch  of  the  ends  ;  and  as  the 
hair  grows,  the  woolding  is  continued.     Each  of  these  cuen 


or 

the 

cro 


I 


30K. 


SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OP   COOK.    275 


voyagers, 
plore  the 
I  distinct 
ley  were 
and  hw- 
enances. 
peculiar, 
sofEr- 
t  of  the 
eir  hair 
gth,  and 
"  into 
ind  of  a 
d  as  the 
se  cueH 


or  locks  is  somewhat  thicker  than  common  whip-cord ;  and 
they  look  like  a  parcel  of  small  strings  hanging  down  from  the 
crown  of  their  heads."*  They  were  armed  with  clubs,  spears 
or  darts,  bows  and  arrows,  and  staves,  and  wore  bracelets  of 
marine  shells  or  cocoanuts,  ear-rings  of  tortoise-shell,  neck- 
laces and  amulets  of  a  greenish  stone. 

Haying  taken  in  a  large  supply  of  wood  and  water.  Cook 
made  sail  on  the  20th  with  a  fresh  breeze,  and  stretched  to  the 
south  ;  but,  seeing  no  more  land  in  that  direction,  he  altered 
his  course  and  steered  north  northwest  along  the  eastern  shores 
of  Tanna,  Erromango,  Sandwich,  and  MalTicollo.  The  night 
of  the  23d  found  him  in  Bougainville's  Passage ;  and  on  the 
26th  he  entered  a  large  and  spacious  harbour,  which  he  was 
convinced  was  that  named  by  Quiros  San  Felipe  y  Santiago.! 
The  port  of  La  Vera  Cruz  was  recognised  in  the  anchorage  at 
J  the  head  of  the  bay,  one  of  the  two  rivers  mentioned  by  the 
Spaniards  was  visited,  "  and,  if  we  were  not  deceived,"  says 
Cook,  *' we  saw  the  other An  uncommonly  lux- 
uriant vegetation  was  everywhere  to  be  seen ;  the  sides  of 
the  hills  were  checkered  with  plantations,  and  every  valley 
watered  by  a  stream.  The  columns  of  smoke  we  saw  by  day, 
and  the  fires  by  night  all  over  the  country,  led  us  to  believe 
that  it  is  well  inhabited  and  very  fertile."  By  the  31st  he  had 
circumnavigated  the  island,  which  proved  to  be  the  largest 
and  most  western  of  the  cluster ;  it  was  sixty  leagues  in  cir- 
cuit, and  the  name  of  Tierra  del  Espiritu  Santo  was  given  to 
this,  "  the  only  remains  of  Quiros's  continent."  The  survey 
being  now  completed,  the  group  was  found  to  extend  from  lat- 
itude 14°  29'  to  20°  4'  S.,  and  from  longitude  166°  41'  to 
170°  21'  E.,  125  leagues  in  the  direction  of  north  northwest 
half  west,  and  south  southeast  half  east.  "  As,  besides  as- 
certaining the  extent  and  situation  of  these  islands,"  he  re- 
marks, "we  added  to  them  several  new  ones,  and  explored 
the  whole,  I  think  we  have  obtained  the  right  to  name  them, 
and  shall  in  future  distinguish  them  by  the  name  of  the  New 
Hebrides,  "t 

Having  spent  more  than  forty  days  in  examining  this  acchi-> 
pelago,  he  made  sail  from  it  on  the  1st  of  September^  and 
with  a  steady  wind  stood  to  the  southwest.     On  the  4th  h^t 

*  Voyage  towards  tlie  South  Pole,  vol.  u.,  p.  78. 

t  See  above,  p.  83,  84. 

t  Voyage  towards  the  ijouth  Pole,  vol.  ii.,  p.  93,  94,  96. 


^ 


276  SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK. 


ei 


I  ^ 


came  in  sight  of  an  extensive  coast  beset  with  reefs,  on  which 
the  sea  broke  with  great  violence.  A  passage  through  this 
dangerous  barrier  having  been  discovered,  he  came  to  anchor 
on  we  fith,  when  his  ship  was  immediately  surrounded  by  a 
great  number  of  natives  in  sixteen  or  eighteen  canoes.  They 
were  of  a  peaceable  and  friendly  disposition,  and  offered  no 
m)position  to  a  landing,  which  was  effected  in  the  afternoon. 
The  country  much  resembled  some  parts  of  New  Holland ; 
the  hills  and  uplands  were  rocky,  and  mcapable  of  cultivation  ; 
the  thin  soil  which  covered  them  being  scorched  and  burnt ; 
and, "  indeed,"  we  are  informed,  "  were  it  not  for  some  fertile 
spots  on  the  plains,  and  a  few  on  the  sides  of  the  mountains, 
the  whole  country  might  be  called  a  dreary  waste.''  The  na- 
tives were  robust  and  well  made,  in  colour  nearly  approaching 
those  of  Tanna,  but  surpassing  them  in  stature,  and  having 
finer  features  and  more  agreeable  countenances.  Their  lan- 
guage appeared  to  have  many  words  in  common  with  that 
used  in  New  Zealand,  in  the  Tonga  Islands,  and  in  Tanna. 
In  affability  and  honesty,  they  excelled  the  people  of  any  place 
yet  visited. 

On  the  13th  Cook  quitted  his  anchorage,  and  for  two  days 
sailed  to  the  northwest,  when,  finding  a  termination  to  the 
land  in  that  direction,  and  a  reef  extending  as  far  as  the  e/e 
could  reach,  he  altered  his  course  to  the  southeast,  and  again 
came  in  sight  of  the  coast  on  the  17th.  He  ran  rapidly  alonff 
it,  and  on  the  23d  reached  its  southeastern  extremity,  which 
was  called  Queen  Charlotte's  Foreland.  In  attempting  to 
get  round  this  point,  some  islands  were  discovered  stretch- 
ing in  the  same  direction  as  the  mainland ;  the  largest  re- 
ceived the  name  of  Isle  of  Pines,  while  the  designation  of 
Botany  was  conferred  upon  one  on  which  a  party  landed. 
The  whole  ot  this  survey  was  attended  with  the  greatest 
danger ;  and,  considering  the  vast  extent  of  sea  yet  to  be 
investigated,  the  state  of  his  vessel  and  her  crew,  and  the 
near  approach  of  summer,  our  navigator,  to  use  his  own  ex- 
pression, was  obliged,  **  as  it  were  by  necessity,  /or  the  first 
time,  to  leave  a  coast  he  had  discovered  before  it  was  fully 
explored."  He  gave  it  the  appellation  of  New  Caledonia, 
and  fixed  its  position  between  latitude  19°  37'  and  22°  30'  S., 
and  west  longitude  163°  37'  and  167°  14'.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  New  Zealand,  it  exceeds  in  size  all  the  islands  of 


th( 
le£ 

hi! 
lal 
an 
of 

til 
w 

d 
e 
t 


i 


OOK. 

9,  on  which 
trough  this 
)  to  anchor 
inded  by  a 
»e8.     They 
offered  no 
afternoon. 
Holland; 
ultivation ; 
md  burnt ; 
ome  fertile 
nountains, 
The  na- 
)proaching 
nd  having 
rheir  lan- 
with  that 
in  Tanna. 
any  place 

two  days 
Dn  to  the 
8  the  e/e 
ind  af  ain 
dly  along 
which 
ipting  to 

stretch- 
rgest  re- 
ition  of 

landed, 
greatest 
bt  to  be 
and  the 
own  ex- 
the  first 
as  fully 

edonia, 

30' S., 
the  ex- 
inds  of 


SECOND    CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF    COOK.    277 


Man  of  New  Zealand. 

the  Austral  Ocean,  extending  in  length  about  eighty-seven 
leagues,  though  nowhere  more  than  ten  in  breadth.* 

He  lost  sight  of  land  on  the  1st  of  October,  and  pursued 
his  course  to  the  south  till  the  morning  of  the  10th,  when,  in 
latitude  29°  2'  30"  S.,  longitude  168°  16'  E.,  he  discovered 
an  island  to  which  the  name  of  Norfolk  was  applied.  It  was 
of  considerable  height  and  about  five  leagues  in  circuit,  fer- 
tile and  luxuriantly  wooded,  but  uninhabited,  and  our  voyagers 
were,  perhaps,  the  first  that  ever  set  foot  upon  its  shores. 

On  the  17th  they  came  in  sight  of  New  Zealand,  and  could 
distinguish  the  summit  of  Mount  Egmont,  "covered  with 
everlasting  snow."  The  next  day  they  anchored  in  Queen 
Charlotte's  Sound,  for  the  third  time,  nearly  eleven  months 

*  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  vol.  ii.,  p.  103-145.  Forster's  Voy- 
age, vol.  ii.,  p.  377-442. 

Aa 


y 


i 


278    SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK. 


after  their  former  visit.  Immediately  on  landing  ihey  looked 
for  a  bottle,  containing  a  memorandum  which  had  been  left 
for  Captain  Furneaux.  It  was  removed,  and  circumstances 
soon  occurred  which  tiiowed  that  the  Adventure  had  been 
here  ;  while,  from  conversing  with  the  natives,  of  whom  only 
a  few  appeared,  and  those  in  a  state  of  unusual  timidity,  it  waa 
inferred  that  some  calamity  had  befallen  her  crew. 

On  the  10th  of  November  Cook  departed  from  New  Zea- 
land, and  with  all  sails  set  steered  south  by  east,  to  get  into 
the  latitude  of  64°  or  55°  S.,  with  the  view  of  crossing  the 
Pacific  nearly  in  these  parallels,  and  thus  exploring  those 
parts  left  unnavigated  in  the  previous  summer.  On  the  27th 
he  was  in  latitude  55°  6'  and  longitude  138°  56'  W.,  when, 
abandoning  all  hope  of  finding  land,  he  determined  to  steer 
directly  for  the  western  mouth  of  the  Straits  of  Magellan, 
which  he  reached  on  the  18th  of  December.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  that  achieved  by  his  colleague,  of  which  he  was 
then  ignorant,  this  was  the  first  run  directly  across  the  Pacific 
in  a  high  southern  latitude.  "And  I  must  observe,"  he 
writes,  •'  that  I  never  made  a  passage  anywhere  of  such  length, 
or  even  much  shorter,  where  so  few  interesting  circumstance-^ 
occurred  ;  for,  if  I  except  the  variation  of  the  compass,  I 
know  of  nothing  else  worth  notice.  ...  I  have  now  done 
with  the  Southern  Pacific  Ocean,  and  flatter  myself  that  no 
one  will  think  that  I  have  left  it  unexplored ;  or  that  more 
could  have  been  done  in  one  voyage,  towards  obtaining  that 
end,  than  has  been  done  in  this."* 

The  southern  shores  of  Tierra  del  Fuego  and  the  Strait  of  Le 
Maire  being  still  very  imperfectly  known,  he  now  resolved  to 
survey  them.  On  the  20th  he  anchored  in  a  large  harbour, 
which  received  the  name  of  Christmas,  from  his  keeping  that 
festival  there*  *'  Roast  and  boiled  geese,"  he  remarks,  "and 
goose-pie,  was  a  treat  little  known  to  us,  and  we  had  yet  some 
Madeira  wine  left ;  so  that  our  friends  in  England  did  not 
perhaps  celebrate  the  day  more  cheerfully  than  we  did." 
Cape  Horn  was  doubled  on  the  29th,  and  two  days  after  the 
Resolution  anchored  off  Staten  Land. 

Haying  explored  those  dreary  regions.  Cook  proceeded  to 
examine  the  sou  hern  part  of  the  Atlantic,  in  search  of  an 
extensive  country,  laid  down  in  Mr.  Dalrymple's  chart  of  the 


*  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  vol.  ii.,  p.  170, 171. 


l 


;ooK, 

hey  looked 
I  been  left 
umstances 
had  been 
ivhom  only 
iity,  it  was 

New  Zea- 
o  get  into 
ossing  the 
ring  those 
n  the  27th 
W.,  when, 
d  to  steer 
Magellan, 
th  the  ei- 
h  he  was 
the  Pacific 
erve,"  he 
ich  length, 
amstance.^ 
ompass,  I 
now  done 
that  no 
lat  more 
ming  that 

rait  of  Le 

solved  to 

larbour, 

)ing  that 

is,  "  and 

yet  some 

did  not 

^e  did." 

after  the 

3eded  to 
h  of  an 
t  of  th© 


SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK.   279 

ocean  between  Africa  and  America.  This  new  enterprise 
commenced  on  the  3d  January,  1775.  On  the  6th  he  found 
himself  in  latitude  58°  9'  S.,  longitude  53°  14'  W.,  nearly  in 
the  situation  assigned  to  the  southwestern  point  of  the  Gulf 
of  St.  Sebastian  in  this  supposed  shore.  Perceiving  no  sign 
of  land,  he  altered  his  course  to  the  north,  looking  out  for  the 
coast  discovered  by  La  Roche  in  1675,*  and  revisited  by  the 
Spanish  ship  Leon  in  1756.  On  the  12th,  in  latitude  54°  28 
S.,  longitude  42°  8'  W.,  nearly  three  degrees  east  of  the 
northeastern  point  of  the  fancied  gulf,  he  experienced  a  swel 
from  east  southeast,  which  he  deemed  sufficient  proof  that  nc 
considerable  land  existed  in  that  direction.  On  the  14th  a 
small  rocky  islet  was  seen,  and  the  next  day  a  more  exten- 
sive region  presented  itself  at  the  distance  of  eight  leagues. 
It  was  covered  with  snow,  and  offered  several  bays  or  inlets, 
in  which  large  masses  of  ice  were  observed.  He  landed  on 
the  17th,  and,  displaying  the  ship's  colours  amid  a  discharge 
of  small  arms,  took  possession  of  the  island  by  the  title  of 
New  South  Georgia.  It  was  found  to  be  about  seventy 
leagues  in  circuit,  but  utterly  desolate,  covered  with  frozen 
snow,  and  without  a  stream  of  water. 

Quitting  this  ''poor  apology  for  a  continent,"  on  the  25th 
he  stood  to  the  southeast,  and  on  the  27th  had  attained  the  lat- 
itude of  60°  S.,  where  he  met  with  a  long  hollow  swell  from 
the  west — a  decisive  sign  of  an  open  sea  in  that  direction. 
Four  days  later  land  was  discovered  at  the  distance  of  three 
or  four  miles  ;  it  proved  to  be  three  rocky  islets,  and  over  the 
outermost  there  appeared  "  an  elevated  shore,  whose  lofty 
snow-clad  summits  were  seen  above  the  clouds."  A  coast 
of  the  same  nature,  which  was  shortly  after  perceived  still 
farther  to  the  south,  received  the  appellation  of  Southern 
Thule,  and  was  considered  to  be  in  latitude  59°  13'  30"  S., 
longitude  27°  45'  W.  On  the  next  morning  a  new  territory 
was  descried  to  the  north,  and  other  portions  were  observed 


*  See  above,  p.  111.  It  has  been  already  incidentally  stated  (p.  179, 
note)  that  tlie  French  navigator,  Duperrey,  is  of  opinion  that  La  Roche 
was  anticipated  in  his  discovery  by  Americo  Vespucci ;  but  this  hypothe- 
sis seems  more  unfounded  even  than  that  stated  by  Bougainville.  With 
much  more  probability  says  Don  M.  F.  de  Navarrete,  "  Esta  tierra  pudo 
ser  alguna  de  las  islas  de  Tristan  de  Acuna,  de  Diego  Alvarez  6  la  de 
Gouhs."— Coleccion  de  Viages  y  Descubrimientos  (Sladrid,  1889),  vol. 
iii.,  p.  278,  nets. 


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280   SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK. 

on  succeeding  days.  Cook  gave  to  his  discovery  the  name 
of  Sandwich  Land,  though  he  was  uncertain  whether  the 
whole  were  a  group  of  islands  or  the  point  of  a  continent ;  *'  for 
I  firmly  believe,"  he  says,  "  that  there  is  a  tract  of  land  near 
the  pole,  which  is  the  source  of  most  of  the  ice  that  is 
spread  over  this  vast  Southern  Ocean."  He  was  anxious  to 
clear  up  this  question  ;  but  he  felt  that  he  could  not  justify 
himself  in  now  encountering  the  hazards  of  thick  fogs,  snow- 
storms, intense  cold,  islands  or  mountains  of  ice,  a  sea  un- 
known and  almost  unnavigable,  and  risking  all  that  he  had 
done  for  the  sake  of  exploring  so  dreary  a  country,  "  which, 
when  discovered,  would  have  answered  no  end  whatever,  or 
been  of  the  least  use  either  to  navigation  or  geography."* 
The  condition  of  his>  ship  and  company,  after  their  lengthened 
voyage,  almost  precluded  the  hope  of  success,  even  had  the 
inducement  been  greater. 

On  the  6th  February,  accordingly,  he  made  sail  towards  the 
east,  in  order  to  renew  his  search  for  the  Cape  de  la  Circon- 
cision.  He  held  on  in  the  same  direction  till  the  22d  of 
February,  when  he  found  that  he  had  run  down  thirteen  de- 
crees of  longitude  in  the  very  latitude  assigned  to  Bouvet's 
discovery,  and  had  crossed  his  own  track  of  1772.  Being 
now  only  about  forty  miles  from  his  route  to  the  south  when 
he  departed  from  Table  Bay,  he  considered  it  unnecessary  to 
proceed  any  farther  eastward,  as  he  had  already  satisfied  him- 
self in  that  quarter.  "  Having  now,"  he  says,  "  run  over  the 
f)lace  where  the  land  was  supposed  to  lie,  without  seeing  the 
east  signs  of  any,  it  was  no  longer  to  be  doubted  that  the  ice- 
islands  had  deceived  M.  Bouvet  ;"t  and  he  accordingly  deter- 

*  Modem  discovery  has  shown  that  Sandwich  Land  is  a  claster  of 
■mall  islands.    ,. 

t  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  vol.  ii.,  p.  238.  The  opinion  here 
expressed  by  Cook,  tho\igh  not  unopposed  by  some  French  writers,  re- 
ceived the  general  sanction  of  geographers ;  but,  after  a  lapse  of  more 
than  thirty  years,  the  cape  seen  by  Bouvet  was  again  accidentally  dis* 
covered.  On  the  6ili  October,  1808,  two  English  whalers,  in  latitude  53<3 
58'  S.,  and  about  the  longitude  of  3°  55'  E.,  came  in  sight  of  an  island 
about  Ave  leagues  in  length.  It  wait  covered  with  snow  and  surrounded 
by  ice,. and  no  doubt  could  be  entertained  of  its  identity  with  Cape  de  la 
Circoncision.— 'lurney,  Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  v.,  p.  35-37.  Cook's 
nearest  approach  to  it  was  on  the  17th  February,  1773,  in  the  latitude  of 
&4°  20'  S.,  and  longitude  of  6°  33'  E.,  when  he  "  had  a  prodigious  high 
sea  fVom  the  south,  which  assured  us  no  land  was  near  in  that  direc- 
tion."—Voyt^gt,  p.  235.  In  fact,  at  this  time  Bou  vet's  discovery  lay  to 
the  northward.    It  may  be  remarked  that  on  another  occasion  Cook  was 


COOK. 


SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK.   281 


very  the  name 
1  whether  the 
ontinent ;  "  for 
ct  of  land  near 
le  ice  that  is 
vas  anxious  to 
uld  not  justify 
ck  fogs,  snow- 
ice,  a  sea  un- 
lU  that  he  had 
antry,  "which, 
i  whatever,  or 
:  geography."* 
leir  lengthened 
,  even  had  the 

sail  towards  the 
e  de  la  Circon- 
:ill  the  22d  of 
m  thirteen  de- 
ed to  Bouvet's 
1772.     Being 
he  south  when 
unnecessary  to 
satisfied  him- 
"  run  over  the 
out  seeing  the 
ed  that  the  ice- 
rdingly  deter- 

|d  is  a  cluster  of 

^he  opinion  here 
inch  writers,  ra- 
ja lapse  of  more 
accidentally  dis- 
s,  in  latitude  530 
light  of  an  island 
,  and  surrounded 

with  Cape  de  la 

.35-37.    Coolc's 

lin  the  latitude  of 

Iprodigious  high 

\r  in  that  direc- 

hscovery  lay  to 
ksion  Cook  was 


companions  and 
latitude  3S°  38'  S. 


. 


/ 


mined  to  yield  to  the  general  wish 

into  port  as  soon  as  possible.  From  lantuae  aa-  aw  ».,  m 
longitude  23°  37'  E.,  on  13th  March,  he  steered  for  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  which  he  made  after  a  voyage  of  eight  days. 

Here  he  found  a  letter  from  his  colleague,  who  had  reached 
this  colony  about  a  year  before.  It  cleared  up  the  mystery 
which  had  perplexed  Cook  on  his  last  visit  to  New  Zealand, 
by  acquainting  him  that  a  boat's  crew,  ten  in  number,  had 
been  massacred  at  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound  by  the  savages, 
who,  not  content  with  an  indiscriminate  butchery,  had  feasted 
on  the  mangled  remains  of  theit  victims.  After  this  unfortu- 
nate calamity,  Captain  Furneaux,  despairing  to  meet  his  con- 
sort, ran  eastward  across  the  Pacific,*  and,  doubling  Cape 
Horn,  reached  Table  Bay  on  the  19th  March,  1774. 

The  anchorage  at  the  Cape  may  be  regarded  as  the  termi- 
nation of  Cook's  second  voyage,  during  which,  reckoning 
from  his  departure  to  his  return  to  this  place,  he  had  sailed 
over  no  less  than  20,000  leagues — an  extent  nearly  equal  to 
thrice  the  equatorial  circumference  of  the  earth.  In  this  navi- 
gation only  four  men  had  been  lost  out  of  the  whole  company, 
and  but  one  of  them  by  sickness — a  proportion  considerably 
below  that  shown  by  the  bills  of  mortality  in  Europe.  Many, 
indeed,  were  weakly,  and  all,  it  may  well  be  imagined,  in  need 
of  refreshment ;  but  only  three  required  to  be  sent  on  shore 

in  the  vicinity  of  land  in  the  South  Atlantic  Ocean  without  perceiving 
any  sii^na  of  its  existence.  On  the  17th  of  January,  1773,  he  was  in  lati- 
tude 670  15'  S.,  and  longitude  39°  35  E.,  not  far  to  the  southeast  of  En- 
derby's  Land,  discovered  on  the  27th  February,  1831,  by  Captain  Biscoe, 
in  the  brig  Tula,  in  latitude  65°  57'  S.,  and  longitude  47°  20'  E.  Eight 
days  previous  to  hia  discovery,  Captain  Biscoe  informs  us  that  he 
"  crossed  Cook's  track  in  1773.  and  found  the  fleld-ice  precisely  in  the 
position  in  which  he  left  it."— Journal  of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society, 
vol.  iii.,  p.  108.  Bulletin  de  la  Soci6t6  de  Gfeographie,  tome  xx.,  No.  cxxiv. 
(Aoiit,  18:<3),  p.  71.— Nouvelles  Annates  des  Voyages,  tome  xxix.,  p.  303. 
*  During  this  navigation,  he  narrowly  missed  seeing  the  islands 
called  South  Shetland  (seen  by  Dirck  Gherritz  in  1559,  rediscovered  in 
1818  by  Mr.  William  Smith,  in  the  brig  William,  and  flfleen  months  af- 
terward by  the  U.  S.  brig  Hersilia.  See  Voyages  by  Edmund  Fanning, 
New- York,  1833,  ii.  42S-434),  and  South  Orkneys.  "  He  passed,"  says 
Captain  Weddel,  "  within  forty-five  miles  of  the  east  end  of  Shetland, 
and  seventy-five  miles  of  the  South  Orkneys :  hence  twenty  miles,  we 
may  presume,  of  a  more  southerly  course  would  have  given  us  a  knowl- 
edge of  South  ShetlaMd  flfly  years  ago."—  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole 
In  1822-24,  p.  28.  See  Bulletin  de  la  Soci^te  de  Geographic,  tome  xvii., 
p.  58. 

A  A  2 


^> 


h  • 


( 


282   SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION   OF   COOK. 

for  the  recovery  of  health,  and  the  rest,  by  an  improvemeut  in 
diet,  speedily  regained  their  usual  strength.  Almost  all  the 
sails  and  tackling  of  the  Resolution  were  v/om  out,  though  the 
s'tanding  rigging  was  still  of  service.  "  In  all  this  great  run," 
he  states,  "  which  had  been  made  in  all  latitudes  between  0° 
and  71**,  we  sprung  neither  lowmasts,  topmast,  lower  nor  top- 
sail yard,  nor  so  much  as  broke  a  lower  or  topmast  shroud  ; 
which,  with  the  great  care  and  abilities  of  my  officers,  must 
be  owing  to  the  good  properties  of  our  ship."  He  left  the 
Cape  on  the  27th  of  April,  and  on  the  30th  of  July,  1775,  an- 
chored at  Spithead,  having  been  absent  fron>  England  three 
years  and  eighteen  days. 

The  design  of  the  voyage  now  completed  was,  in  vastness 
and  grandeur,  without  a  parallel  in  the  history  of  maritime  en- 
terprise ;  and  never,  perhaps,  had  any  expedition  been  con- 
ducted with  greater  skill,  perseverance,  or  success.  Cook 
was  received  with  every  mark  of  approbation  and  honour  ;  he 
was  raised  to  the  rank  of  post-captain,  by  a  commission  dated 
the  9th  of  August,  and  three  days  thereafter  he  was  named  cap- 
tain in  Greenwich  Hospital — an  appointment  which  afforded 
him  the  means  of  spending  the  rest  of  his  days  in  honourable 
and  easy  retirement.  In  February,  1776,  he  was  unanimously 
elected  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society ;  and  on  the  7th  March, 
the  evening  of  his  admission,  a  communication  was  read,  in 
which  he  detailed  the  means  he  had  employed  to  preserve  the 
health  of  his  crew  in  their  long  and  perilous  navigation.* 

*  Phil.  Trans.,  vol.  Ixvi.,  p.  402,  et  seq.  In  addition  to  a  liberal  use  of 
the  various  antiscorbutics  Airnished  by  the  navy  and  ▼ictualling  boards, 
(see  above,  p.  247),  Cook  had  recourse  to  various  other  arrangennents, 
which  he  thus  details : — 

"  The  crew  were  at  three  watches,  except  upon  some  extraordinary 
occasions.  By «.  this  means  they  were  not  so  much  exposed  to  the 
weather  as  if  they  had  been  at  watch  and  watch ;  and  they  had  generally 
dry  clothes  to  shift  themselves  when  they  happened  to  get  wet.  Care 
was  also  taken  to  expose  them  as  little  as  possible.  Proper  methods 
were  employed  to  keep  their  persons,  hammocks,  bedding,  clothes,  dec, 
constantly  clean  and  dry.  Equal  pains  were  taken  to  keep  the  ship 
clean  and  dry  between  decks.  Once  or  twice  a  week  she  was  aired 
with  flres,  and  when  this  could  not  be  done,  she  was  smoked  with  gun- 
powder, moistened  with  vinegar  or  water.  I  had  also  flr«quently  a  Are 
made  in  an  iron  pot  at  the  bottom  of  the  well,  which  greatly  purified  the 
air  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  ship.  To  this  and  cleanliness,  as  well  In 
the  ship  as  among  the  people,  too  great  attention  cannot  be  paid.  The 
least  neglect  occasions  a  putrid  offensive  smell  below,  which  nothing  but 
fires  will  remove :  and  if  these  be  not  used  in  time,  those  amelli  wiU  be 
attended  with  baa  consequences. 


it. 


COOK. 


SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK.  283 


nprovemeut  in 
Llmost  all  the 
)ut,  though  the 
[lis  great  run," 
Bs  between  0° 
lower  nor  top- 
pmast  shroud ; 
officers,  must 
He  left  the 
uly,  1775,  an- 
England  three 

as,  in  vastness 
f  maritime  en- 
ion  been  con- 
iccess.  Cook 
id  honour ;  he 
imission  dated 
T&a  named  cap- 
vhich  afforded 
in  honourable 
s  unanimously 
the  7th  March, 
1  was  read,  in 
o  preserve  the 
}  navigation.* 

0  a  liberal  use  of 
ctualling  boards, 
r  arrangements, 

le  extraordinary 

exposed  to  the 

y  had  generally 

get  wet.    Care 

[Proper  methods 

g,  clothes,  &c., 

keep  the  ship 

she  was  aired 

oked  with  gun- 

uently  a  Are 

tly  purified  the 

less,  as  well  in 

be  paid.    The 

ich  nothing  but 

•mellawiU  be 


For  this  most  valuable  and  important  essay,  the  council 
awarded  to  him  the  Copley  Medal ;  and  on  the  occasion  of  its 
delivery,  the  president.  Sir  John  Prhigle,  delivered  a  discourse 
highly  encomiastic  of  the  great  discoverer : — "  If,"  concluded 
the  worthy  baronet,"  Rome  decreed  the  civic  crown  to  him 
who  saved  the  life  of  a  single  citizen,  what  wreaths  are  due  to 
that  man,  who,  having  himself  saved  many,  perpetuates  in 
your  Transactions  the  means  by  which  Britain  may  now,  on 
the  most  distant  voyages,  save  numbers  of  her  intrepid  mari- 
ners, who,  braving  every  danger,  have  so  liberally  contributed 
to  the  fame,  to  the  opulence,  and  to  the  maritime  empire  of 
their  country  1" 

The  account  of  his  first  voyage,  with  the  narrative  of  the 
expeditions  of  Byron,  WalUs,  and  Carteret,  had  been  pre- 
pared for  publication  by  Dr.  Hawkesworth.  The  manner  in 
which  that  gentleman  executed  the  charge  intrusted  to  him 
gave  little  satisfaction  ;  and  on  this  occasion  it  was  deemed 
more  advisable  that  the  history  of  the  enterprise  should  be 
written  by  him  who  had  so  ably  conducted  it.  In  submitting 
his  work  to  the  public,  Cook  considered  it  necessary  to  plead 
in  excuse  for  any  inaccuracies  of  composition,  or  deficiencies 
in  the  elegance  of  style,  which  might  be  observed  in  his  nar- 
rative, "  that  it  was  the  production  of  a  man  who  had  not  had 
the  advantage  of  much  school-education,  but  who  had  been 
constantly  at  sea  since  his  youth ;  and  though,  with  the  as- 
sistance of  a  few  good  friends,  he  had  passed  through  all  the 

"  Proper  care  was  taken  of  the  ship's  coppers,  so  that  they  were  kept 
constantly  clean.  The  Tat,  which  boiled  out  of  the  salt  beef  and  pork,  I 
never  suffered  to  be  given  to  the  people,  as  is  customary ;  being  of 
opinion  that  it  promotes  the  scurvy.  I  never  foiled  to  take  in  water 
wherever  it  was  to  be  procured,  even  when  we  did  not  seem  to  want  it ; 
because  I  look  upon  fresh  water  from  on  shore  to  be  much  more  whole- 
some than  that  which  has  been  kept  some  time  on  board.  Of  this  essen- 
tial article  we  were  never  at  an  allowance,  but  had  always  an  abundance 
for  every  necessary  purpose.  I  am  convinced,  that  with  plenty  of  firesh 
water,  and  a  close  attention  to  cleanliness,  a  ship's  company  wUl  seldom 
be  much  afflicted  with  the  scurvy,  though  they  should  not  be  provided 
with  any  of  the  antiscorbutics  mentioned. 

^'  We  came  to  few  places  where  either  the  art  of  man  or  nature  did 
not  afford  some  sort  of  reflreshment  or  other,  either  of  the  animal  or  ve- 
getable kind.  It  was  my  first  care  to  procure  what  could  be  met  with  of 
either  by  every  means  in  my  power,  and  to  oblige  our  people  to  make 
use  thereof,  both  by  my  example  and  authority ;  but  the  benefits  arising 
firora  such  refireshments  soon  became  so  obviotui,  that  I  bad  little  occasion 
to  employ  either  the  one  or  the  other.'* 


1284    SECOND  CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF  COOK. 


if 


stations  belonging  to  a  seaman,  front  an  apprentice-boy  in  the 
coal-trade  to  a  post-captain  in  the  royal  navy,  he  had  had  no 
opportunity  of  cultivating  letters."  But,  in  truth,  the  "  Voy- 
age towards  the  South  Pole"  stands  in  no  need  of  such  an 
apology.  The  sentiments  and  reflections  are  in  every  instance 
just,  manly,  and  sagacious ;  the  descriptions  are  clear  and 
graphic  ;  and  the  style  is  free  from  affectation,  plain,  flowing, 
and  expressive. 

Omai,  the  native  of  Ulietea  whom  Captain  Fumeaux  took 
on  board  at  Huaheine,  was  the  first  inhabitant  of  the  South 
Sea  Islands  seen  in  Britain,  where  his  presence  naturally  ex- 
cited intense  curiosity.  He  was  at  once  introduced  into  the 
highest  circles,  and  patronised  by  the  rank,  fashion,  and  beauty 
of  the  metropolis.  He  was  honoured  by  an  interview'with 
his  majesty  George  HI.,  who  settled  on  him  a  pension  during 
his  residence  in  England,  and  made  him  several  presents. 
He  does  not  seem  to  have  attained  great  proficiency  in  the 
English  language  ;  but,  by  the  aid  of  signs  and  gestures,  he 
was  able  to  make  himself  generally  understood,  and  in  a  short 
time  acquired  such  a  knowledge  of  the  town,  that  he  could 
traverse  it  without  guide  or  interpreter.  For  the  opera,  which 
had  so  many  charms  for  the  Otaheitan  brought  to  Paris  by 
Bougainville,  he  appears  to  have  cared  little.  But  we  are 
assumed  by  Madame  D'Arblay,  that  nothing  could  be  mOro 
curious  or  less  pleasing  than  one  of  the  songs  of  his  native 
land,  which  he  chanted  in  the  presence  of  her  father  :  "  Voice 
be  had  none ;  and  tune  or  air  did  not  seem  to  be  even  aimed 
at,  either  by  composer  or  performer ;  'twas  a  mere  queer, 
wild,  and  strange  rumbling  of  uncouth  sound.  His  music, 
Dr.  Bumey  declared,  was  all  that  he  had  about  him  of  sav- 
age.*'* The  ease  and  grace  of  his  manners,  indeed,  excit«d 
much  wonder.  With  the  talent  for  mimicry  which  is  char- 
acteristic of  his  nation,  he  readily  copied  the  forms  of  the 
society  in  which  he  mixed ;  and,  as  his  intercourse  was  with 
the  most  refined  circles,  he  imitated  only  admired  and  elegant 
models.  Dr.  Johnson,  whose  vision,  however,  was  none  of 
the  keenest,  tells  us,  that  dining  at  Streatham  with  Lord 
Mulgrave  and  the  Ulietean,  "they  sat  with  their  backs  to 
the  light  fronthig  me,  so  that  I  could  not  see  distinctly  ;  and 

*  Memoirs  of  Dr.  Bumey,  by  his  daughter,  Madame  D'Arblay,  vol 
li.,  p.  7. 


!*  COOK. 

tic€-boy  in  the 
le  had  had  no 
ith,  the  "  Voy- 
ed  of  such  an 
every  instance 
are  clear  and 
plain,  flowing, 

Fumeaux  took 
of  the  South 
e  naturally  ex- 
duced  into  the 
ion,  and  beauty 
interview*with 
pension  during 
ireral  presents, 
[icicncy  in  the 
d  gestures,  he 
,  and  in  a  short 
that  he  could 
le  opera,  which 
ht  to  Paris  by 
But  we  are 
;ould  be  more 
of  his  native 
thcr :  "  Voice 
be  even  aimed 
a  mere  queer. 
His  music, 
it  him  of  sav- 
ideed,  excitttd 
which  is  char- 
forms  of  the 
urse  was  with 
d  and  elegant 
was  none  of 
m  with  Lord 
heir  backs  to 
stinctly ;  and 

e  D'Arblay,  vol 


SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION    OF   COOK.    285 

there  was  so  little  of  the  savage  in  Omai,  that  I  was  afraid 
to  speak  to  either,  lest  I  should  mistake  one  for  the  other."* 
We  are  informed  by  another  writer,  that  the  island-barbarian 
was  frequently  contrasted  with  Mr.  Stanhope  (the  son  of  Lord 
Chesterfield),  who,  after  all  that  could  be  effected  for  him  by 
the  care  and  knowledge  of  a  fond  father,  by  the  best  teachers 
and  the  most  advantageous  circumstances,  was  far  surpassed, 
at  least  in  the  outward  graces  of  personal  demeanour,  by  the 
rude  and  ignorant  native  of  a  remote  island  of  the  Pacific. 

But  unfortunately  his  acquirements  were  limited  to  the 
superficial  observances  of  social  life.  No  greater  proof  of  his 
intelligence  has  been  recorded  than  his  knowledge  of  the  game 
of  chess,  in  which  he  became  singularly  proficient. t  With 
that  zeal  in  good  works  for  which  he  was  so  distinguished, 
the  benevolent  Granville  Sharp  laboured  to  instruct  the  Ulie- 
tean  in  the  principles  of  writing,  in  which,  it  is  said,  he  ac- 
quired such  skill  as  to  be  able  to  pen  one  letter  to  Dr.  Solan- 
der.  Mr.  Sharp  endeavoured  likewise  to  impart  to  him  a 
knowledge  of  religious  principles  ;  but  the  attempt  met  with 
little  success.  He  appears,  indeed,  to  have  possessed  a  very 
ordinary  intellect,  and  was  far  inferior  in  genius  and  observa- 
tion to  the  unfortunate  Tupia,  who  embaued  in  the  Endeav- 
our, and  died  at  Batavia.  The  opinion  which  Cook  at  first 
expressed  as  to  the  talents  of  Omai  was  unquestionably  just, 
although  partiality  for  his  savage  ward  afterward  induced  him 
to  think  differently. 

The  rank  which  he  held  in  his  owii  country  was  by  no 
means  elevated ;  he  belonged  to  neither  of  the  dominant 
classes — ^the  chiefs  and  the  priests.  His  object  in  accompany- 
ing Captain  Fumeaux  to  England  appears  to  have  been,  a  desire 
to  obtain  the  means  of  successfully  waging  war  with  the  men 
of  Bolabola,  expelling  them  from  Ulietea,  and  regaining  pos- 
session of  his  paternal  domains. 

It  has  been  remarked,  that  few  savages  have  enjoyed  so 
distinguished  a  destiny  as  Omai ;  he  was  painted  by  Reynolds, 
sung  by  Cowper,  and  befriended  by  Cook ;  while  he  enjoyed 
the  society  of  Johnson,  Banks,  Lord  Sandwich,  Burney,  So- 
lander.  Sharp,  Lord  Mulgrave,  and  many  others  illustrious  for 

*  Boswell's  Life  or  Johnson  (Mr.  Croker's  edition),  vol.  iii.,  p.  374. 

t  It  is  remarkable  that  all  savages  di>:play  great  readiness  in  learning, 
and  great  skill  in  playing  games  of  combination,  such  as  ctiesa,  draughts, 
diC—^m  Publishers.  -         . 


286    SECOND   CIRCUMNAVIGATION  OF    COOK. 

their  rank  or  their  learning.  In  his  ovm  estimation,  perhaps, 
he  was  more  fortunate  in  having  been  favoured  with  the  no- 
tice of  the  most  celebrated  beauties  of  the  day,  the  Crewes, 
the  Cravens,  and  the  Townshends  of  the  last  century.    . 


t^i*-iJ.'-C2«i—  — 


'»'■, 


■■.;.(■■ 


f.i   ' 


: .  ."^ 


COOKS    THIRD    VOYAGE. 


{287 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Cook's  Third  Voyage. 

Objects  of  the  Expedition.— Kergiielen's  or  Desolation  Island.— Van  Die. 
men'H  Land.— NewkZeoland. — Mangeea,  Wenooa-ette,  and  Wateeoo. 
— Palmerfton  Island.— Transactions  at  the  Friendly  Islands.— The  So- 
ciety l8land8.—Otaheite.—Eirneo.—Huaheine.— Settlement  of  Omai 
there,  and  Notice  of  his  Life.— Ulielea.-Bolabola— Cook  sails  North- 
5vard.— Christmas  Island.- Discovers  the  Sandwich  Archipelngo.— 
Makes  the  Coast  of  New  Albion.— Nootka  Sound.— Cook's  River.— 
Behring's  Strait. — Icy  Cape.— Progress  to  the  North  arrested.- Revisits 
the  Sandwich  Islands.- Reception  by  the  Natives.— Cook  is  wor- 
shipped as  their  God  Orono.— Sails  from  Karakaooa  Bay,  but  is  obliged 
to  return  to  it.— Hostile  Disposition  of  the  Natives.—'!  he  Discovery's 
Cutter  is  stolen.— Cook  goes  on  shore  to  recover  it. — Interview  with 
the  King.— A  Chief  siain.-Attack  by  the  Natives.— Death  of  Cook. — 
Recovery  and  Burial  of  Part  of  his  Uemains.— The  Voyage  is  resumed. 
— Death  of  Captain  Clerke.— The  Ships  reach  China.— Fur-trade.— 
Arrival  in  England. 

While  Cook  was  exploring  the  depths  of  the  southern 
hemisphere,  the  British  government  prepared  an  expedition 
to  investigate  the  seas  and  regions  of  the  Arctic  Circle.  In 
1773,  Captain  /^'^hn  Phipps,  afterward  Lord  Mulgrave,  sailed 
from  England  ; :  '-rder  to  determine  how  far  navigation  was 
practicable  towarus  the  north  pole  ;*  and,  though  the  general 
result  of  his  enterprise  could  not  be  regarded  as  very  favour- 
able, hopes  were  still  cherished  that  a  channel  between  the  At- 
lantic and  the  Pacific  might  be  discovered  on  the  northern  verge 
of  the  American  continent,  and  it  was  resolved  that  a  voyage 
for  this  purpose  should  be  undertaken. 

Lord  Sandwich,  anxious  to  consult  Cook  as  to  the  manage- 
ment of  the  enterprise,  invited  him  to  dine  at  his  house,  along 
with  Sir  Hugh  Palliser  and  Mr.  Stephens,  the  secretary  to  the 
Admiralty.  In  the  discussion  that  followed,  the  importance 
of  the  design,  the  advantages  which  it  would  confer  on  science 

*  A  notice  of  this  expedition  will  be  found  in  the  Family  Library,  NOi. 
XIV.  Narrative  of  Discovery  and  Adventure  in  the  Polar  Seas  and  Re- 
gions, PL  260. 


28S 


cook's  third  voyage. 


and  navigation,  and  the  fair  field  whi(  h  it  opened  for  honour 
and  distinction,  were  so  strongly  rcpiT .  Mitcd,  that  the  great 
difcoverer,  becoming  exceedingly  aniniui.ed,  at  length  started 
to  his  feet,  and  declared  that  he  himscK  would  take  the  com- 
mand of  it.  His  active  and  restless  spirit  seems  to  have 
looke,d  with  impatience  on  retirement  and  repose,  however 
honourable ;  and  scarcely  had  he  returned  from  his  second 
voyage  when  we  find  him  longing  to  engage  in  a  new  expedi- 
tion.* The  offer  which  he  now  made  gratified  the  secret 
wishes  of  his  noble  entertainer,  and  was  most  willingly  and 
joyfully  accepted.  On  the  9th  of  February,  1776,  he  was  ac- 
cordingly reappointed  to  the  Resolution  ;  Captain  Gierke  be- 
ing placed  under  his  orders  in  command  of  the  Discovery,  a 
vessel  of  three  hundred  tons,  fitted  out  exactly  as  the  Adven- 
ture had  been  in  the  former  voyage. 

The  instructions  for  conducting  this  expedition  were  dated 
on  the  6th  of  July,  1776.  They  directed  the  captain  to  make 
his  way  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  thence  "proceed 
southward  in  search  of  some  islands  said  to  have  been  lately 
seen  by  the  French,  in  the  latitude  of  48°  S.,  and  about  the 
meridian  of  Mauritius,"  that  is,  57°  28'  30"  E.  He  was  then 
to  steer  for  Otaheite,  with  power  to  touch,  if  he  judged  it  ne- 
cessary, at  New  Zealand ;  and  having  refreshed  his  crews 
there,  to  run  directly  for  the  shores  of  New  Albion,  about  the 

*  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Locker  (Gallery  of  Greenwich  Hospital,  part 
i.)  fbr  the  following  letter  from  Cook,  addressed  within  a  week  after  his 
appointment  in  Greenwich  Hospital  to  one  of  his  earliest  friends  and  pa- 
trons—the worthy  Quaker  to  whom  he  was  apprenticed  at  Whitby  :— 

«  Mile  End,  August  IQth,  1775. 
"  Dear  Sir— As  I  have  not  now  time  to  draw  up  an  account  of  such 
occurrences  of  the  voyage  as  I  wish  to  communicate  to  you,  1  can  only 
thank  you  fo^your  obliging  letter  and  kind  inquiries  aHer  me  during  my 
absence.  I  must,  however,  tell  you  that  the  Resolution  was  found  to 
answer  on  all  occasions  even  beyond  my  expectations,  and  is  so  little  in- 
jured by  the  voyage  that  she  will  soon  be  sent  out  again.  But  I  shall  not 
command  her :  my  fate  drives  me  from  one  extreme  to  another.  A  few 
months  ago,  the  whole  southern  hemisphere  was  hardly  big  enough  for 
me,  and  now  I  am  going  to  be  conflned  within  the  limits  of  Greenwich 
Hospital,  which  are  fhr  too  small  for  an  active  mind  like  mine.  I  must, 
however,  confess  it  is  a  fine  retreat,  and  a  pretty  income ;  but  whether  I 
can  bring  myself  to  like  ease  and  retirement  time  will  show.  Mrs.  Cook 
joins  with  me  in  best  respects  to  you  and  all  your  family,  and  believe  me 
to  be,  dear  sir,  3'oar  most  affectionate  ft-iend  and  humble  servant, 

"  James  Coox. 

**  To  Captain  John  Walker,  at  Whitby,  iu  Yorkshire." 


/. 


COOK  8  THIRD   VOYAGE. 


889 


1  for  honour 
lat  the  great 
;ngth  sttrted 
ike  the  cora- 
Dms  to  have 
5SC,  however 
n  his  second 

new  expedi- 
3d  the  secret 
willingly  and 
6,  he  was  ac- 
lin  Gierke  be- 

Discovery,  a 
18  the  Adven- 

)n  were  dated 

ptain  to  make 

lice  "proceed 

ve  been  lately 

Bind  about  the 

He  was  then 

judged  itne- 

icd  his  crews 

lion,  about  the 

ch  Hospital,  part 
I  week  after  his 
friends  and  pa- 
[at  Whitby:— 

jst  19th,  1775. 
[account  of  such 

you,  i  can  only 
iT  me  during  my 
|n  was  found  to 
\\6  is  so  little  in- 

But  I  shall  not 
mother.  K  few 
/  big  enough  for 
[s  of  Greenwich 

mine.    I  must, 
but  whether  I 

jw.    Mrs.  Cook 

,  and  believe  me 

jervant, 

Iames  Cook. 


parallel  of  46°  north.  Having  sailed  along  the  coast  till  he 
reached  the  latitude  of  66°,  he  was  ordered  **  very  carefully  to 
search  for  and  to  explore  such  rivers  or  inlets  as  may  appear 
to  be  of  a  considerable  extent,  and  pointing  towards  Hud- 
son's or  Baffin's  Bays,  and  if  there  should  appear  to  be  a 
certainty,  or  even  a  probability,  of  a  water  passage  into  tho 
aforementioned  bays,  to  use  his  utmost  endeavours  to  pass 
through."  Failing  in  this,  he  was  to  winter  in  the  port  of  St. 
Peter  and  St.  Paul,  in  Kamtschatka,  and  in  the  spring  to  renew 
the  search  for  a  northeast  passage  into  the  Atlantic* 

By  an  act  of  the  legislature  passed  in  1746,  a  reward  of 
20,000/.  wa»  held  out  to  any  ship  not  in  his  majesty's  service 
which  should  discover  a  channel  leading  from  Hudson's  Bay 
into  the  Pacific  ;  and  with  a  view  of  encouraging  the  crews, 
the  statute  was  now  amended,  so  as  to  bring  this  noble  premium 
within  the  reach  of  the  present  enterprise.  To  co-operate  with 
Cook,  a  vessel  was  despatched  to  BafHn's  Bay  to  examine  its 
western  shores  for  an  opening  into  the  same  ocean  ;  but  Lieu- 
tenant Young,  to  whom  the  command  was  intrusted,  returned 
without  having  effected  any  thing. 

Tho  Resolution,  with  Omai  on  board,  sailed  from  Plymouth 
Sound  on  the  12th  Jidy,  1776,  and  was  joined  by  the  Dis- 
covery at  the  Capo  of  Good  Hope  on  the  10th  of  November. 
They  put  to  sea  on  the  dd  December,  and  proceeded  south- 
east, according  to  their  instructions,  in  search  of  the  alleged 
French  discoveries,  the  position  of  which  was  by  no  means 
fully  determined,  t  On  the  12th  they  fell  in  with  the  islands 
seen  by  Marion  and  Crozet  in  1772.  Leaving  these,  they 
shaped  their  course  to  the  southward,  and  on  the  24th  got 

*  Voyage  to  the  Paeiflc  Ocean  for  making  Discoveries  In  the  Northern 
Hemisphere  (3  vols.  4to,  2d  edition,  London,  1785),  introduction,  p.  xxxi' 
XXXV.  Of  this  work,  the  first  and  second  volumes  were  written  by  Cook, 
the  third  by  Captain  King,  while  the  long  and  valuable  introduction,  and 
the  erudite  notes  and  illostrations,  were  flrom  the  pen  of  Dr.  Douglas, 
alterward  Bishop  of  Salisbury. 

t  The  discoveries  so  va&uely  mentioned  In  the  Instructions  were  those 
made  by  M.  Kergaelen,  who  sailed  flrom  the  Isle  of  France  in  January, 
1779,  and  on  the  ISth  of  February,  in  lat.  50**  5'  8.,  discovered  a  high  land 
to  which  he  gave  his  own  name.  On  his  return  to  France  he  repie- 
aented  his  discovery  in  such  glowing  colours,  that  Louis  XV.  gave  him 
the  cross  of  St.  Louis,  and  sent  him  out  to  complete  its  survey.  He 
reached  It  in  December,  177S,  and  coutinoed  to  explore  its  coasts  till  the 
0th  of  January  following.  On  reaching  France  he  was  accused  of  mis* 
conduct,  deprived  of  his  rank,  and  thrown  into  prison. 
-  M^9> 


'« * 


I 


-'^- 
'.'' 


890 


cook's  third  voyaob 


•ight  of  tomp  Htnall  onps  about  the  latitude  of  iH^  S{0'  S.,  atid 
longitude  68°  40'  E.,  which  had  been  vinitnd  and  named  by 
Kerguelen  in  December,  1773.  On  the  lamo  day,  atanding 
to  the  aouth  aouthcaRt  in  Bearch  of  land  ieen  in  the  mornings 
they  reached  a  more  oxtonaive  eoaat  indented  by  several  bayii, 
amonff  which  they  expected  to  find  a  good  harbour.  Tnia 
proved  to  bo  the  true  Kcrguelcn^a  Land  of  which  our  navi' 
gator  waa  in  queat ;  but,  in  place  of  being  a  continent,  aa 
waa  at  one  time  auppoaed,  he  found  it  an  inconaidorablo  and 
ateril  ialand,  worthy  of  the  name  of  Desolation,  if  delicacy  to 
the  diacoverer  had  permitted  a  change  of  title.  No  apot  in 
either  hemisphere  under  the  same  parallel  of  latitude,  according 
to  the  report  of  Mr.  Anderson,  the  surgeon,  who  officiated  as 
naturaliat,  preaented  less  employment  to  the  botanist ;  and  its 
only  living  creatures  were  of  the  marine  species,  chiefly  ur* 
sine  seala  and  birds,  as  penguins  and  albatrosses.  The  hills, 
though  of  moderate  height,  wore  covered  with  snow,  even  at 
thia  season,  which  corresponded  with  the  month  of  June  in 
England ;  and  the  land,  where  not  froien,  waa  for  the  most 
part  a  mere  bog,  which  yielded  at  every  step. 

The  voyagera  quitted  this  bleak  shore  on  tho  80th  of  De- 
cember, and  steered  east  by  north  for  New  Zealand.     On  tho 
34th  of  January  they  deacried  the  cooat  of  Van  Diemen's 
liand,  and  two  days  af^er  anchored  in  the  bay  formerly  visited 
by  Captain  Fumeaux,  and  by  him  named  Adventure.     Here 
wood  and  water  were  procured  in  abundance ;  but  fodder  for 
the  animals  on  board  was  not  so  readily  obtained.     Whil6 
some  of  the  crew  were  engaged  in  procuring  these  supplies, 
others  carried  on  a  successful  fishery,  and  a  party  was  em- 
ployed in  surveying  the  bay.     The  natives,  who  approached 
without  fear,  had  no  weapons  of  offence,  except  pointed  sticks 
about  two»feet  long,  occasionally  used  as  darts.     They  were 
destitute  of  clothes  or  ornaments  of  any  kind,  but  small  punc- 
tures were  observed  on  different  parts  of  their  bodies,  some 
in  straight  lines  and  others  in  curves.    They  were  of  the  com- 
mon stature,  but  rather  slender ;  their  skins  were  black,  as 
also  their  hair,  which  was  woolly ;  but  they  were  not  remark- 
aMe  for  the  other  peculiarities  of  the  negro  race — thick  lips 
or  flat  noses. 

On  the  30th  the  ships  weighed  anchor  and  put  to  sea,  pur< 
suing  their  course  to  the  east  till  the  10th  of  February,  when 
ihey  came  in  sight  of  New  Zealand,  and  on  the  1 3th  ahchorcd 


il 


COOK  S    TIIIUD    VOYAOE. 


291 


!•  30' «.,  mid 
id  named  by 
iay,  Rtanding 
the  inorniii|{i 
neveral  bayRt 
rhour.  This 
tich  our  iiBvi' 
continent,  as 
Hidorablo  and 
if  delicacy  to 
No  apot  in 
ide,  according 
3  officiated  as 
inist;  and  its 
js,  chiefly  ur* 
I.  The  hills, 
mow,  even  at 
ith  of  June  in 
I  for  the  most 

0  80th  of  Do- 
and.  On  tho 
an  Diemen's 
rmorly  visited 
nture.  Here 
)ut  fodder  for 
ned.  While 
lese  supplies, 
trty  was  em- 
o  approached 
)0inted  sticks 

They  were 
;  small  punc- 
bodies,  some 
re  of  the  com- 
ere  black,  as 

not  remark- 
'— thick  lips 

it  to  sea,  pur* 
bruary,  when 
3th  ihchorcd 


Weapons  of  New  Zealand. 

in  the  well-known  station  of  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound.  Ser- 
eral  canoes  in  no  long  time  made  their  appearance,  but  veiy 
few  of  those  who  occupied  them  would  venture  on  bourd. 
Their  shy  and  timid  behaviour  Cook  considered  to  arise  from  a 
dread  of  punishment  for  the  murder  of  the  boat*8  crew  belong- 
ing to  tho  Adventure,  and  used  every  means  to  reassure  them 
of  his  friendly  intentions.  In  this  he  was  successful ;  their 
distrust  gradually  gave  way,  every  sign  of  fear  vanished,  and 
as  amicable  an  understanding  was  established  as  if  no  evil  had 
ever  happened  to  mar  it.  Tne  inquiries  which  he  made,  as  to 
the  melancholy  fate  of  his  former  companions,  were  readily 
answered,  though  considerable  discrepances  appeared  in  the 
accounts  which  hn  received  from  different  individuals. 

The  party,  it  should  seem,  left  their  boat  in  charge  of  a 
black  servant,  and,  unsuspicious  of  danger,  sat  down  to  dinner 
about  200  yards  off,  surrounded  by  the  natives,  who,  at  that 
period,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  entertained  no  unfriendly 
designs.    During  tho  repast,  some  of  the  savages  snatched 


-Ml 

in 


i" 


9 
^ 


292 


COOK  S   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


i 


'A 


Ik 


i 


away  a  portion  of  the  bread  and  fish,  for  which  they  were 
punished  with  blows ;  while,  about  the  same  time,  one  of 
them  detected  in  pilfering  the  boat  n  ceived  a  severe  stroke 
£rom  the  keeper.  His  cries  alarmed  his  countrymen,  who 
imagined  he  was  mortally  wounded ;  and  as  their  resentment 
had  been  excited  Yj  the  usage  which  they  themselves  expe- 
rienced, they  readily  yielded  to  the  desire  of  revenge.  A 
quarrel  instantly  ensued,  in  which  two  of  them  were  shot 
dead  by  the  only  muskets  discharged ;  more  would  probably 
have  faJlen,  had  they  not  rushed  upon  the  English,  anned  with 
their  stone  weapons,  and,  overpowering  thent  by  numbers,  left 
not  one  alive.  Kahoora,  one  of  the  chiefs,  acknowledged 
that  he  had  attacked  the  commander  of  the  party ;  but  en- 
deavoured to  justify  himself  on  the  ground  that  one  of  the 
muskets  fired  was  levelled  at  him,  and  that  he  only  escaped 
by  skulking  behind  the  boat.  Whatever  truth  there  might  be 
in  his  vindication,  the  natives  frequently  importuned  Cook  to 
kill  him,  and  were  surprised  that  he  did  not  comply  with  their 
request.  "  But  if  I  had  followed  the  advice  of  all  our  pre- 
tended friends,"  says  he,  "I  might  have  extirpated  the  whole 
race ;  for  the  people  of  each  hamlet,  or  village,  by  turns  ap- 
plied to  me  to  destroy  the  other."* 

The  voyagers  left  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound  on  the  25th 
February,  carrying  with  them  two  native  youths,  and  stood  for 
the  Society  Islands.  On  the  29th  of  March  they  came  in 
sight  of  one,  small  but  inhabited,  called  by  the  natives  Man- 

?eea,  situated  in  latitude  21°  57'  S.,  and  longitude  201°  53'  E. 
ts  appearance  was  very  pleasing,  and  indicated  a  fertile  soil. 
The  people,  who  seemed  a  fine  and  vigorous  race,  were  of  a 
tawny  colour,  and  had  strong,  straight  black  hair  and  long 
beards ;  the  insides  of  their  arms  were  tattooed  in  the  man- 
ner adoptecl  by  several  of  the  other  islanders  of  Polynesia ; 
their  language  was  a  dialect  of  that  which  is  common  through- 
out the  South  Sea.  One  of  them,  who  ventured  on  board, 
happening  to  stumble  over  a  goat,  asked  Omai  what  lird  it 
was. 

*  Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  i.,  p.  124.  In  1827,  Mr.  Earle  met  with 
an  aged  savage,  wlio,  in  answer  to  inquiries  put  to  tiim,  aaid  he  xlid  not 
remeniher  Cooli,  but  "  weli  recollected  Captain  Furneaux,  and  was  one 
ortbe  party  which  cut  off* and  massacred  his  boat's  crew ;  and  flrom  other 
information,"  adds  the  author,  "which  I  received,  I  believe  his  assertion 
to  have  been  correct."— Narrative  of  a  Nine  Months'  Resideiuse  in  Now 
Zealand,  by  Augustus  Earle  (London,  1832),  p,  23. 


i 


/•I 


COOK  S   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


293 


;h  they  were 
time,  one  of 
severe  stroke 
trymen,  who 
ir  resentment 
aselves  expe- 
revenge.     A 
m  were  shot 
ould  probably 
h,  anned  with 
numbers,  left 
icknowledged 
arty ;  but  en- 
lat  one  of  the 
only  escaped 
;here  might  be 
uned  Cook  to 
iply  with  their 
f  all  our  pre- 
ited  the  whole 
I,  by  turns  ap- 

on  the  25th 
,  and  stood  for 
they  came  in 
natives  Man- 
le201°53'E. 
I  a  fertile  soil, 
ice,  were  of  a 
lair  and  long 
I  in  the  man- 
)f  Polynesia ; 
imon  through- 
cd  on  board, 

what  lird  it 


Earle  met  with 
said  he  did  not 

IX,  and  was  one 
and  flrom  other 

ve  his  assertion 
Idence  In  N«w 


Leaving  this  island  on  the  afternoon  of  the  30th,  the  next 
lay  brou^t  the  navigators  in  sight  of  another  similar  in  ap- 
pearance and  extent,  and  situated  only  a  few  leagues  farther 
to  the  north.  On  approaching  its  shores,  a  third  was  observed 
right  ahead ;  but  as  it  was  much  smaller,  Cook  sent  boats  to 
look  for  anchorage  and  a  landing-place  on  the  one  first  discov- 
ered. As  they  were  putting  on,  some  natives  rowed  to  the 
Bhips  in  their  canoes,  and,  \men  asked,  gave  a  few  cocoanuts, 
seemingly  without  any  notion  of  baiter  or  care  for  the  value 
of  the  presents  made  in  return.  Soon  after  their  departure 
another  party  arrived,  whose  conductor  brought  a  bunch  of 
plantains — a  donation  which  was  afterward  understood  to  be 
from  the  chief  of  the  island,  and  was  acknowledged  by  an  axe 
and  a  piece  of  red  cloth.  In  a  short  time  there  came  along- 
side a  double  canoe,  in  which  were  twelve  men,  who,  as  they 
drew  near,  recited  some  words  in  concert,  one  of  them  first 
standing  up,  and  giving  note  of  preparation.  This  ceremony 
over,  they  asked  for  the  comimander,  to  whom  they  offered  a 
pig,  a  few  cocoanuts,  and  a  piece  of  matting.  They  were 
then  led  through  the  ship,  some  of  the  contents  of  which  sur- 
prised them  considerably,  though  none  fixed  their  attention 
for  a  moment.  They  were  afraid  of  the  cows  and  horses,  but 
the  sheep  and  goats  did  not  seem  wholly  strange  to  them, 
though,  like  the  native  of  Mangeea,  they  supposed  these  ani- 
mals to  be  birds.  In  most  jpoints  they  resembled  the  inhabi- 
tants of  that  island,  although  several  of  them  were  of  darker 
complexion.  No  landing  having  been  effected  on  this  day, 
the  attempt  was  renewed  the  next  morning  by  Messrs.  Gore, 
Bumey,  and  Anderson,  who,  accompanied  by  Omai,  at  length 
reached  the  shore,  but  amid  dangers  which  occasioned  much 
anxiety  to  their  companions. 

Having  anchored  within  100  yards  of  the  land,  two  canoes 
came  o£f  to  give  assistance,  which  they  thought  proper  to  ac- 
cept ;  and  their  conductors,  watching  the  movements  of  the 
surf,  caught  a  fit  opportunity  to  push  tlirough,  and  placed 
them  on  the  reef.  On  the  beach  they  were  met  by  several 
natives,  bearing  green  branches  in  their  hands,  who  led  them 
among  a  crowd  whose  curiosity  was  so  troublesome  that  it 
was  necessary  to  repress  it  by  blows  from  some  persons  in 
authority.  The  party  were  then  guided  through  an  avenue  of 
cocoa-palms,  to  a  number  of  men,  arranged  in  two  rows, 
armed  with  clubs,  among  whom  sat  a  chidf  cross-legged  on 

Bb2 


■^1 


294 


COOK  S   THIRD   VOYAGE* 


' 


P 


the  ground,  and  cooling  himself  with  a  leaf  used  as  a  fan. 
After  saluting  this  personage,  who  was  distinguished  by  large 
bunches  of  red  feathers  placed  in  his  ears,  the  party  approached 
two  others  seated  in  the  same  posture,  and  wearing  similar 
ornaments  ;  one  of  them  was  remarkable  for  size  and  corpu- 
lence, though  not  above  thirty  years  of  age  ;  the  second,  who 
was  apparently  older  than  either,  desired  the  strangers  to  sit 
down.  The  people  were  then  directed  to  stand  aside,  and 
make  room  for  the  performance  of  a  dance  by  about  twenty 
young  women,  adorned  like  the  chiefs.  Their  motions,  which 
were  dictated  by  a  prompter,  or  master  of  the  ceremonies, 
were  accompanied  by  a  slow  and  serious  air  sung  by  all  the 
dancers.  This  entertainment  was  followed  by  a  mock  club- 
fight. 

The  island,  though  never  before  visited  by  Europeans,  was 
found  to  contain  three  countrymen  of  Omai,  natives  of  the  So- 
ciety Isles.  They  were  the  sole  survivers  of  about  twenty 
persons  of  both  sexes,  who,  in  a  voyage  from  Otaheite  to 
Ulietea,  were  driven  by  contrary  winds  to  this  spot — a  distance 
of  nearly  200  leagues.  They  had  been  here  probably  twelve 
years,  and  were  so  thoroughly  satisfied  as  to  have  no  wish  to 
return.  This  incident,  says  the  intelligent  navigator,  "  will 
serve  to  explain,  better  than  a  thousand  conjectures  of  specu- 
lative reasoners,  how  the  detached  parts  of  the  earth,  and,  in 
particular,  how  the  islands  of  the  South  Sea,  may  have  been 
fijrst  peopled,  especially  those  that  lie  remote  from  any  inhab- 
ited continent,  or  from  each  other."*  The  native  name  of 
the  island  was  ascertained  to  be  Wateeoo  ;  it  is  described  as 
a  place  of  great  beauty,  agreeably  diversified  by  hills  and 
plains,  and  covered  with  verdure  of  many  hues ;  it  lies  in  lat- 
itude 20°  1'  S.,  and^  longitude  201°  45'  E.,  and  is  about  six 
leagues  in  circumference.  Mr.  Anderson  pronounces  the  in- 
habitants a  well-made  race,  more  especially  those  of  rank. 
Many  of  the  young  were  perfect  models  in  point  of  shape,  and 
had  delicate  complexions.  According  to  the  report  of  Omai, 
their  manners  and  religion  were  nearly  the  same  with  those  of 
the  Society  Islands ;  and  their  language  was  equally  intelligi- 
ble to  the  Otaheitan  and  to  the  New  Zealanders. 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th  April  Cook  proceeded  to  visit 
the  neighbouring  island,  which  the  natives  of  that  which  he 

*  Voyage  to  th«  Pacific,  vol.  i.,  p.  302. 


\ 


[  as  a  fan. 
ed  by  large 
approached 
ing  similar 
and  corpu- 
econd,  who 
ngers  to  sit 
I  aside,  and 
»out  twenty 
tions,  which 
ceremonies, 
ig  by  all  the 
mock  club- 

■opeans,  was 
38  of  the  So- 
ibout  twenty 
Otaheite  to 
: — a  distance 
ibably  twelve 
re  no  wish  to 
igator,  "  will 
•es  of  specu- 
larth,  and,  in 
ay  have  been 
m  any  inhab- 
;ive  name  of 
described  as 
by  hills  and 
it  lies  in  lat- 
is  about  six 
unces  the  in- 
lose  of  rank, 
of  shape,  and 
Urt  of  Omai, 
[with  those  of 
lally  intelligi- 

Uded  to  visit 
Ihat  which  he 


COOKS   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


295 


had  left  termed  indifferently  Wenooa-ette  and  Otakootaia.  It 
lay  in  latitude  19°  51'  S.,  and  did  not  exceed  three  miles  in 
circuit.  No  human  beings  were  seen ;  but  many  traces  oc- 
curred to  show  that  it  was  occasionally  visited ;  some  deserted 
huts  were  observed,  and  under  the  shade  of  trees  were  found 
monuments  of  stone,  and  enclosed  spots  which  had  perhaps 
been  used  as  sepulchres. 

The  voyagers  now  shaped  their  course  towards  Hervey  Isl- 
and, observed  in  the  preceding  voyage.*  To  the  great  sur- 
prise of  the  captain,  who  had  believed  the  place  to  be  without 
mhabitants,  several  canoes  put  off  from  the  shore.  From 
three  to  six  men  were  in  each,  but  not  one  of  them  could  be 
persuaded  to  venture  on  board.  Although  they  differed  much 
in  appearance  from  the  natives  of  Mangeea — their  complexion 
being  of  a  darker  hue,  and  their  aspect  more  fierce  and  war- 
like—no doubt  could  be  entertained  that  they  were  of  the 
same  race.  The  name  of  their  island  was  Terouggemou 
Atooa,  and  they  acknowledged  that  they  were  subject  to  the 
King  of  Wateeoo  ;  their  language  was  very  similar  to  that  of 
Otaheite.  They  said  they  had  seen  two  great  ships  sail  past, 
but  did  not  speak  with  them  :  these  must  have  been  the  Res- 
olution and  Adventure  during  the  former  voyage. 

Cook  resolved,  on  the  6th,  to  bear  away  for  the  Friendly 
Islands,  at  which  he  was  sure  to  obtain  the  suppUes  which  the 
groups  he  just  passed  had  been  found  to  deny.  On  the  13th, 
when  in  danger  of  losing  his  cattle  from  want  food,  he  reached 
Palmerston  Island,  which  he  had  discovered  in  1774.t  Here 
he  fortunately  procured  scurvy-grass,  palm-cabbages,  and 
young  cocoa-trees  for  the  animals  on  board ;  while  his  crew 
fared  sumptuously  on  birds,  fish,  and  cocoanuts.  This  clus- 
ter, which  is  uninhabited  and  without  water,  comprehends 
nine  or  ten  low  islets,  which  are  probably  the  summits  of  the 
coral-reef  that  connects  them  together.  One,  on  which  a 
landing  was  made,  was  scarcely  a  mile  in  circuit,  and  not 
more  than  three  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea ;  its  surface 
appeared  to  be  merely  a  coral-sand,  with  a  small  mixture  of 
blackish  mould ;  but,  notwithstanding  the  poverty  and  thin- 
ness of  this  soil,  trees  and  bushes  were  both  numerous  and 
varied.    Several  small  brown  rats  were  seen,  conveyed  thither^ 


*  See  above,  p.  260. 
t  Sec  above,  p.  272. 


296 


COOKS  THIRD   VOYAGE. 


it  was  conjectured,  in  a  canoe,  a  fragment  of  which  still  re- 
mained on  the  beach.* 

From  this  position,  which  he  left  on  the  17th,  the  navigator 
proceeded  westward.  On  the  night  of  the  24th  he  passed 
Savage  Island,  discovered  in  his  second  voyage  ;t  on  the  fourth 
day  after  he  came  in  sight  of  some  of  the  Friendly  group,  and 
moored  about  five  miles  off  Komango  or  Mango,  the  natives 
of  which  brought  cocoanuts,  plantains,  and  other  articles,  in 
exchange  for  nails. 

On  the  1st  of  May  he  dropped  anchor  at  Annamooka  (the 
Rotterdam  of  Tasman),  in  the  same  spot  which  he  had  occu- 
pied three  years  before.  A  few  days  after  his  arrival  he  met 
with  a  chief,  whose  name  has  since  acquired  a  European  re- 
nown— Feenou  or  Finow — who  was  then  only  tributary  lord 
of  Hapai,  but  was  introduced  to  Cook  as  king  of  all  the 
Friendly  Islands,  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  in  number.  This 
individual  was  found  very  serviceable  in  forwarding  the  object 
of  the  voyagers,  who  experienced  no  little  annoyance  from  the 
thievish  disposition  of  the  common  people,  and  even  some  of 
the  chiefs.  After  punishing  one  of  the  latter  by  inflicting  a 
dozen  lashes  and  temporary  confinement,  the  nobles  no  longer 
pilfered  in  person,  but  depredations  were  continued  by  their 
slaves,  on  whom,  we  are  told,  a  flogging  appeared  to  make  no 
greater  impression  than  it  would  have  done  on  the  mainmast. 
The  only  means  by  which  they  could  be  effectually  restrained 
from  pillage  was  shaving  their  heads  ;  which  at  once  exposed 
them  to  the  ridicule  of  their  countrymen,  and  enabled  the 
English  to  keep  them  at  a  distance. 

r  inding  the  supply  of  provisions  almost  exhausted  in  little 
more  than  a  week,  Cook  meant  to  visit  Tongataboo  ;  but,  by 
the  advice  of  the  jiing,  he  proceeded  to  a  group  of  islands 
called  Hapai,  lying  to  the  northeast,  of  which  the  principal 
are  Lefooga,  Foa,  Haano,  Wilia,  and  Hooaleva.  After  a  dan- 
gerous passage  through  a  sea  studded  with  shoals,  rocks,  and 
small  islands,  the  ships  came  to  anchor  on  the  1 7th  May,  and 
soon  after  Feenou  and  Omai  undertook  the  task  of  formally 
introducing  the  captain  to  the  natives  of  the  island.    He  was 

*  By  some  continental  geograpbers  the  name  of  Cook's  Arcliipelago 
has  been  applied  to  Mangeea,  Otakootaia,  Hervey  Island,  and  their  depen- 
dances.  See  Balbi,  Abr^g^  de  Gtographie,  p.  I2T7.  Mnnay>  Encyclic 
paedia  of  Geography,  p.  1538. 

t  BtB  above,  p.  S7S. 


COOK  S  THIRD   VOYAGE. 


t97 


hich  still  re- 

the  navigator 
th  he  passed 
•  on  the  fourth 
ly  group,  and 
p,  the  native* 
ler  articles,  in 

inamooka  (the 
I  he  had  occu- 
arrival  he  met 
European  re- 
tributary  lord 
ing  of  all  the 
lumber.    This 
ding  the  object 
yance  from  the 
I  even  some  of 
by  inflicting  a 
obles  no  longer 
tinued  by  their 
xed  to  make  no 
the  mainmast, 
oally  restrained 
t  once  exposed 
id  enabled  the 

lausted  in  little 
taboo  ;  but,  by 
roup  of  islands 
the  principal 
.  After  a  dan- 
oals,  rocks,  and 
17th  May,  and 
ask  of  formally 
iland.    He  was 

look's  Archipelago 
d,  and  their  aepen- 
Htumy't  Eacydo> 


conducted  to  a  house  on  the  margin  of  the  sea,  where  he  was 
seated  beside  his  patrons  ;  while  the  chiefs  and  a  multitude 
of  people  were  ranged  in  a  circle  outside  and  in  front  of  the 
erection.  Taipa,  a  friendly  noble,  then  addressing  his  coun- 
tryman by  order  of  Feenou,  exhorted  them  to  behave  with 
kindness  and  honesty  to  their  visiters,  and  bring  to  them  sup- 
plies o(  provisions,  for  which  they  would  receive  valuable  arti- 
cles in  exchange. 

Early  next  morning  the  latter  chief  came  on  board,  and 
persuaded  the  discoverer  to  accompany  him  to  the  shore, 
where  they  found  a  great  concourse  of  the  inhabitants.  A 
large  quantity  of  yams  and  other  articles  having  been  presented 
with  much  pomp,  the  spectators  fonned  themselves  into  a  ring 
to  observe  a  succession  of  single  combats,  in  which  the  par- 
ties fought  with  clubs.  Wrestling  and  pugilistic  matches  were 
also  performed,  and  the  voyagers  saw  with  surprise  "  a  couple 
of  lusty  wenches  step  forth  and  begin  boxing,  without  the 
least  ceremony,  and  with  as  much  art  as  the  men.'*  These 
diversions  took  place  in  the  presence  of  3000  people  ;  and  the 
gifts  offered  on  the  occasion  loaded  four  boats,  and  far  sur- 
passed any  donation  yet  received  in  the  islands  of  the  Pacific. 
On  first  landing.  Cook's  quick  and  sagacious  eye  perceived 
"  that  something  more  than  ordinary  was  in  agitation ;"  but 
he  seems  afterward  to  have  considered  that  the  magnitude  of 
the  preparations  was  sutRciently  explained  by  the  munificence 
of  the  present.  How  little  was  he  aware  of  the  dangers  which 
surrounded  him  !  Snares  were  laid  for  his  destruction  ;  and 
the  chiefs  and  their  followers,  who  seemed  to  outvie  each 
other  in  kindness  and  hospitality,  only  awaited  a  token  from 
Feenou  to  commence  a  general  massacre.  Fortunately,  dis- 
putes arose  among  the  conspirators  which  led  to  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  treacherous  design,  and  the  games  passed  on  with- 
out the  expected  signal  being  made.*  The  treacherous  chief, 
on  whose  nod  the  lives  of  the  strangers  had  depended,  aecora- 

*  Mariner's  Tonga  Islandfi  (8d  edition),  Edinburgh,  1827,  vol.  ii.,  p.  71, 
72.  "  Mr.  Mariner,"  it  is  said,  "  had  this  information  at  different  times 
ftpom  several  chiers  who  were  present,  and  in  particular  from  Feenou 
himseir,  the  son  of  the  chief  who  was  at  the  head  of  the  conspiracy." 
Had  Cook  discovered  their  treauherouii;  intentions,  he  would  have  proh- 
abiy  hesitated  to  apply  to  these  islanders  the  epithet  Friendly,  which  so 
many  events  have  shown  to  he  siujrularly  undeserved.  A  witty  French- 
man writes,  '^  Nous  dlmex  adieu  hux  habitnns  des  lies  des  Amis,6ont  ie 
Rom,  ninsi  que  les  bienveillantes  dispositions,  nous  rappellaient  si  bien 


298 


COOK  S   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


m  1  i 


I 


panied  them  on  board,  and  having  been  entertained  at  their 
table,  was  dismissed  with  renewed  marks  of  their  liberality 
and  friendship.  "  As  soon  as  he  got  on  shore,"  says  Cook, 
**  he  sent  me  a  fresh  present,  consisting  of  two  large  hogs,  a 
considerable  quantity  of  cloth,  and  some  yams."  It  would  be 
difficult  to  determine  the  feelings  by  which  the  savage  was 
actuated  in  this  step  ;  whether  he  was  swayed  by  remorse  or 
by  gratitude  ;  if  his  generosity  was  a  cunning  device  to  obvi* 
ate  suspicion,  or  if  it  flowed  from  a  heart  softened  into  peni- 
tence by  unmerited  kindness,  and  anxious  to  expiate  the  crime 
which  it  had  meditated. 

Two  days  after  the  islanders  were  gratified  by  a  review  of 
the  marines,  and  by  a  display  of  fireworks.  The  music,  per^ 
formed  for  their  amusement,  obtained  no  praise ;  the  French 
horns  were  absolutely  despised ;  and  even  the  drum,  which 
they  most  admired,  was  not  thought  equal  to  their  own.  The 
natives  on  their  part  exhibited  numerous  dances  and  other 
entertainments,  which  were  prolonged  through  a  great  portion 
of  the  night.  On  the  27th  a  large  canoe  appeared,  having  a 
personage  on  board  not  previously  seen,  who  was  said  to  be 
the  real  king  of  Tongataboo  and  all  the  neighbouring  islands. 
It  was  with  cKfficulty  the  commander  could  be  persuaded  that 
Feenou  was  a  subordinate  chief;  and  it  was  only  from  the 
urgent  representation  of  the  natives,  that  he  was  induced  to 
acknowledge  the  supremacy  of  this  new  visiter.  Futtafaihe 
or  Poulaho,  for  he  went  by  both  names,  was  accordingly  in- 
vited into  the  ship,  which  he  was  desirous  to  inspect ;  and 
he  brought  with  him  a  present  of  two  fat  hogs,  *'  If  weight 
of  body  could  give  weight  in  rank  or  power,"  says  the 
captain,  "his  majesty  was  certainly  the  most  eminent  man 
we  had  seen."  \yhen  introduced  into  his  presence,  Fee- 
nou paid  precisely  the  usual  obeisance,  saluting  the  sov.> 
ereign's  foot  with  his  head  and  hands,  and  retiring  when  the 
monarch  sat  down  to  eat.*     Poulaho  invited  Cook  to  Tonga- 

nos  amis  de  1815."— D'Urville,  Voyage  autour  da  Monde,  tome  iv, 
p.  392. 

*  Cook  failed  to  acquire  a  correct  knowledge  of  the  peculiar  govern* 
nient  of  the  Tonga  Archipelago.  Poulaho  was  Touitonga,  that  is,  a  di.> 
vine  chief  or  suprenne  rank,  and  of  absolute  power  in  religious  affkirs,  but 
of  little  authority  in  secular  matters.  His  person  is  considered  sacred, 
and  the  highest  chiefk  must  perform  towards  him  the  humiliating  cere- 
mony of  saluting  his  feet.  "  Dans  les  attributions  du  toui-tonga,"  says 
P'Urville,  **ilest  difficile  de  ne  pas  saisir  sur-le-obamp  une  ressem* 


COOK^S   THIRD   VOYAGE* 


299 


ned  at  their 
iix  liberality 
'  says  Cook, 
arge  hogs,  a 
It  would  be 
savage  was 
y  remorse  or 
vice  to  obvi- 
ed  into  peni-. 
Bite  the  crime 

f  a  review  of 
e  music,  per- 
;  the  French 
drum,  which 
ir  own.     The 
;es  and  other 
,  great  portion 
red,  having  a 
as  said  to  be 
»uring  islands, 
ersuaded  that 
jnly  from  the 
IS  induced  to 
Futtafaihe 
jcordingly  in- 
inspect;  and 
"  If  weight 
er,"  says  the 
eminent  man 
resence,  Fee- 
"^ing  the  sov- 
ring  when  the 
)ok  to  Tonga- 

Sonde,  tome  iv, 

Ipeculiar  govern* 
l^a,  that  is,  a  di- 
1^iou8afnur«,but 
iisidered  sacred, 
lumiliating  cere- 
|oui-tonga,"  says 
ip  ane  ressem* 


taboO)  which  they  reached  on  the  10th  June,  after  a  passage 
dangerous  from  the  number  of  coral  rocks,  on  which  both 
vessels  struck,  fortunately  without  receiving  damaget 

Their  reception  was  friendly  in  the  extreme,  a  house  was 
set  apart  for  their  use,  and  they  were  welcomed  with  the  ac 
clamations  of  the  people.  Feenou  proved  very  serviceable^ 
and  the  treatment  experienced  from  other  chiefs,  though  a 
little  capricious  and  mercenary,  held  forth  every  hope  of  an 
amicable  intercourse.  Feasting  occupied  a  considerable  por-* 
tion  of  the  time,  both  in  the  ships  and  on  the  shore.  It  was 
frequently  troublesome  in  the  former,  owing  to  the  numbed 
who  thronged  into  the  cabin,  provided  neither  the  spiritual 
sovereign  nor  Feenou  was  there — the  presence  of  either  gener- 
ally operating  as  an  exclusion  to  all  the  rest.  His  majesty's 
visits  were,  consequently,  much  prized  by  his  host,  and  ap' 
peared  to  be  far  from  disagreeable  to  himself.  He  was  soon 
reconciled  to  English  fare :  "  But  still,  I  believe,*'  says  the 
former,  "  he  dined  thus  frequently  with  me,  more  for  the  sake 
of  what  we  gave  him  to  drink,  than  for  what  we  set  before 
him  to  eati  For  he  had  taken  a  liking  to  our  wine,  could 
empty  his  bottle  as  well  as  most  men,  and  was  as  cheerful  ovet 
it.  This  social  communication  did  not  prevent  many  dep* 
redations  by  the  lower  orders,  whose  repeated  and  daring  of' 
fences  became  at  length  so  serious  that  it  was  neiMssaiy  they 
should  be  effectually  checked.  On  the  disappci^nce  of  a 
kid  and  two  turkey-cocks.  Cook  had  recourse  t^'  a  measure^ 
which  he  had  found  not  unsuccessful  on  {(B^er  occasions. 
**  I  could  not  be  so  simple,"  he  says,  "  as  to  suppose  that  this 
was  merely  an  accidental  loss ;  and  I  was  determined  to  have 
them  again.  The  first  step  I  took  was  to  seize  onjthree  ca« 
noes  that  happened  to  be  alongside  the  ships.  I  then  went 
ashore,  and,  having  found  the  king,  his  brother,  Feenou,  and 
some  other  chiefs,  in  the  house  that  we  occupied,  I  immedi^ 
ately  put  a  guard  over  them,  and  gave  them  to  understand 
that  they  must  remain  under  restraint  till  not  only  the  kid 

blance  asMs  (htppante  avec  le  caractire  et  Ie«  honnean  dont  lea  chr6tieni 
caiholiques  avaient  environn^  la  personne  da  chef  de  leur  religion :  pni8> 
sance  spirituelle  sans  bornea,  une  demi-divinit^,  aatoriti  temporelleplus 
ou  moins  ^tendue,  baisemens  de  pieds  et  tributs  universels.'*— Voyage, 
tonne  iv.,  p.  335.  Feenoa  was  in  poeaeseion  of  the  temporal  and  execu- 
five  power  of  the  state,  in  virtue  of  an  office  somewhat  analogous  to 
that  of  the  Maire  du  Palais  in  France ;  and  hia  foinily  eventually  suc- 
ceeded in  deposing  Touitonga. 


300 


COOK  S   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


and  the  turkeys,  but  the  other  things  that  had  been  stole:! 
from  us  at  different  times,  were  restored.  They  concealed 
as  well  as  they  could  their  feelings  on  finding  themselves 
prisoners  ;  and  having  assured  me  that  every  thing  should  be 
restored  as  I  desired,  sat  down  to  drink  their  kava^  seemingly 
much  at  their  ease.  It  was  not  long  before  an  axe  and  an 
iron  wedge  were  brought  to  me.  In  the  mean  time,  some 
armed  natives  began  to  gather  behind  the  house ;  but,  on  a 
part  of  our  guard  marching  against  them,  they  dispersed,  and 
I  advised  the  chiefs  to  give  orders  that  no  more  should  ap- 
pear. Sueh  orders  were  accordingly  given  by  them,  and  they 
were  obeyed.  On  asking  them  to  go  aboard  with  me  to  din- 
ner, they  readily  consented ;  but  some  having  afterward  ob- 
1'ected  to  the  king's  going,  he  instantly  xose  up,  and  declared 
le  would  be  the  fisst  man.  Accordingly,  we  came  on  board. 
I  kept  them  there  till  near  four  o'clock,  when  I  conducted 
them  ashore^  and  soon  after  the  kid  and  one  of  the  turkey- 
cocks  were  brought  back.  The  other,  they  said,  should  be 
restored  the  next  morning.  I  believed  this  would  happen, 
and  released  beth  them  and  the  canoes."*  This  confidence 
was  verified  by  the  result ;  the  remaining  fowl  and  most  of 
the  articles  that  had  been  stolen  were  soon  after  returned,  and 
the  expedient  which  had  been  adopted  had  not  the  slightest 
prejudicial  effect  on  the  friendly  dispositions  of  the  king  or 
his  nobles. 

A  few  days  before  his  departure.  Cook  entertained  Poulaho 
at  dinner.  The  monarch  was  observed  to  take  particular 
notice  uf  the  plates,  and  having  obtained  one  of  pewter, 
mentioned  two  remarkable  purposes  to  which  he  meant  i<y 
apply  it.  When  he  had  occasion  to  visit  any  other  island,  he 
would  leave  the  dish  at  Tongataboo  as  a  representative,  to< 
which  the  people  would  pay  the  same  obeisance  as  to  his  own 
person ;  and,  on  being  asked  what  had  performed  this  ser-^ 
vice  before,  he  replied,  "  A  wooden  bowl  in  which  he  washed 
his  hands."  The  other  use  was  for  a  species  of  ordeal;; 
when  a  theft  was  committed,  and  the  guilty  person  could  not 
be  discovered,  the  people  were  assembled  before  him,  and 
when  he  had  washed  his  hands  in  the  plate,  they  advanced 
one  after  another  to  touch  it,  in  the  same  manner  as  they 
touched  his  fool  on  other  occasions.    If  the  robber  ventured 


1    ). 


*  Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  I.,  p.  304, 


COOK  S   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


301 


1  been  stolen 
icy  concealed 
g  themselves 
ling  should  bo 
i,ra,  seemingly 
m  axe  and  an 
in  time,  soma 
ise  ;  but,  on  a 
dispersed,  and 
re  should  ap- 
hem,  and  they 
ith  me  to  din- 
afterward  ob- 
,  and  declared 
ame  on  board. 
1  I  conducted 
of  the  turkey- 
aid,  should  be 
would  happen^ 
'his  confidence 
and  most  of 
r  returned,  and 
t  the  slightest 
>f  the  king  or 

tained  Poulaho 
;ake  particular 
ne  of  pewter, 

he  meant  ta 
»ther  island,  he 
)rcsentatiye,  to 

as  to  his  own 
rmed  this  ser' 
uch  he  washed 
ies  of  ordeal;; 
irson  could  not 

ifore  him,  and 
they  advanced 
lanner  as  they 
[)bber  ventured 


' 


to  lay  his  hands  on  the  sacred  vessel,  he  was  overtaken  by 
instant  death,  not  by  violence,  but  by  the  finger  of  Provi- 
dence ;  if,  on  the  contrary,  he  declined  the  test,  his  refusal 
was  considered  a  clear  proof  of  his  guilt.* 

After  a  sojourn  of  nearly  three  months,  during  which  time 
the  most  cordial  friendship  was  maintained,  Cook  bade 
adieu  to  the  Tonga  Islands  on  the  17th  of  July.  The  time 
which  he  passed  among  them  was  by  no  means  unprofitably 
spent,  as  the  season  for  proceeding  to  the  north  had  gone 
by  before  he  resolved  to  visit  them,  and  more  especially  as 
the  abundance  of  fresh  provisions  enabled  him  to  spare  his 
sea-stock.  He  likewise  benefited  the  people,  by  leaving  with 
them  several  useful  animals,  while  he  recruited  those  which 
were  destined  for  Otaheite. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  in  latitude  23°  25'  S.,  longitude 
210°  37'  E.,  the  voyagers  discovered  a  small  island,  called  by 
the  natives  Toobouai,  and  surrounded  by  a  coral  reef,  on 
which  there  was  a  violent  surf.  The  inhabitants,  who  spoke 
the  language  of  the  Society  Islands,  appeared  to  be  unarmed,  t 

From  this  he  steered  northward,  and,  on  the  fourth  day 
after,  came  in  sight  of  the  S.  E.  end  of  Otaheite,  whence  sev- 
eral canoes  came  off.  Those  on  board  seemed  scarcely  to 
recognise  the  travelled  Ulietean,  and  the  meeting  even  with 
his  brother-in-law  was  cold  and  distant,  until  he  presented  him 
with  a  few  red  feathers  ;  upon  which  the  heart  of  the  latter 
warmed,  and  he  begged  that  Omai  and  he  might  be  tayos  or 

*  Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  i.,  p.  336.  More  than  thirty  years  after- 
ward, Mr.  Mariner  saw  this  dish  In  the  possession  or  Tuuitonga's  son. 
Cook  does  not  seem  to  have  been  made  fully  aware  or  the  purposes  to 
which  it  was  destined,  which  are  thus  explained  by  the  other :— "  irany 
one  is  tabooed  [consecrated  or  set  apart]  by  touching  the  person  or  gar- 
ments or  Touitonga,  there  is  no  other  chief  can  relieve  him  from  his  to- 
boo,  because  no  chief  is  equal  to  him  in  rank ;  and  to  avoid  the  inconve- 
nience arising  from  his  absence,  a  consecrated  bowl  (or  some  such  thing) 
belonging  to  Touitonxa  is  applied  to  and  touched  instead  of  his  feet.  In 
Mr.  Mariner's  time,  Touitonga  always  left  a  pewter  di"h  for  this  purpose, 
which  dish  was  given  to  his  father  by  Captain  Cook." — M:iriner'8  Ton- 
ga Islands,  vol.  ii.,  p.  188.  This  ceremony  is  termed  moe-moey  and  until 
it  is  performed  no.  person  who  is  tabooed  will  dare  to  feed  himself  with 
bis  own  hands.  The  "  wooden  bowl,"  whicli  was  formerly  used  in  this 
rite,  it  is  said,  was  given  to  the  ancestor  of  Poulaho  by  Tasman,  in  1643. 
—Quarterly  Review,  vol.  ii.,  p.  32. 

t  This  place,  where  Christian  and  the  mutineers  of  the  Bounty  endeav- 
oured to  effect  a  settlement  in  17S9,  Lord  Byron  has  selected  as  the 
scene  of  his  poem  of  the  Island,  altering  the  name  tor  the  sake  of  ea- 
phony  into  Toobonai. 

Co 


1 


r 


V 


I 


302 


cook's  third  voyage. 


friends,  and  exchange  names.  The  crimson  plumes  produced 
an  alteration  equally  favourable  on  the  rest  of  his  countrymen. 
Our  navigator  counselled  him  to  economize  the  treasures 
with  which  he  had  been  loaded  in  Britain,  so  that  he  might  be 
respected  in  his  own  land  ;  but  the  advice  was  little  regarded, 
and  he  allowed  himself  to  be  cheated  by  every  cunning  flat- 
terer. "  His  first  interview  with  his  sister,"  we  are  told, 
"  was  marked  with  expressions  of  the  tenderest  affection,  ea- 
sier to  be  conceived  than  to  be  described  ;'*  and  an  old  woman, 
sister  to  his  mother,  equally  fervent  in  her  joy,  fell  at  his  feet 
and  bedewed  them  with  her  tears.  Having  anchored  in  Oai- 
tipiha  Bay,*  Cook  proceeded  to  inspect  his  provisions,  calk 

*  On  going  ashore  at  this  place,  Cook  found  a  wooden  house  erected  on 
the  margin  or  the  sea,  and  near  it  a  cross,  with  the  inscription,  "  Ciikis- 
Tus  viNriT— Carolum  III.  iMPKRAT,  1774."  They  had  been  raised,  he 
was  told,  by  the  crews  of  two  vessels,  which  had  recently  visited  the 
island,  and  which  he  rightly  conjectured  had  been  despntcbed  from  the 
Spanish  settlements  in  South  America.  He  was  not  able,  however,  to 
obtain  any  ceitain  information  regarding  the  voyage ;  and  it  is  only  with- 
in the  last  year  that  an  account  of  its  transnctions  has  been  brought  to 
light,  by  a  manuscript  presented  to  the  Geographical  Society  of  Paris  by 
M.  H.  Ternaux.  An  abstract  of  this  interesting  document,  tty  M.  n'lJr- 
ville,  is  inserted  in  the  Rulletin  of  ihe  Society  for  March,  1834  (2d  s^rie, 
tome  i.,  p.  145-164)  ;  and  some  fbrlher  details  of  the  enterprise  have  ap> 
peared  in  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society  of  London  (vol. 
iv.  p.  182-101) 

In  October,  1771,  the  court  of  Spain,  alarmed  at  the  late  visits  of  the 
English  to  ihH  South  Sea,  gave  orders  to  the  Viceroy  of  Lima  to  prepare, 
without  delay,  an  expedition  to  examine  the  8oc  ety  Archipelaito.  and 
particularly  Otaheite,  and  to  report  upon  the  capabil  ties,  po|iulaiion,and 
resources  of  these  islands.  The  viceroy  in  consequence  fitted  out  the 
Aguila  firigate ;  which,  under  the  command  of  Hon  Domingo  Ronechea, 
sailed  from  Callao  on  the  26th  of  Seitember,  1772.  She  reached  Otaheite 
on  the  10th  of  November,  and  on  the  V6th  of  March,  1773,  arrived  at  Val- 
paraiso. The  commander  made  a  very  favourable  representation  of  the 
countries  he  had  be^n  sent  to  explore ;  and,  in  conveying  bin  journals 
and  observations  to  the  king, "  I  could  not,"  says  the  viceroy.  "  but  at  the 
same  time  strongly  express  my  own  opinion  to  his  mnjesty,  as  to  the 
great  prejudice  which  would  result  to  his  dominions  in  these  seas  if  any 
other  |>ower  were  permitted  to  take  previous  possession  of  them." 

These  views  met  the  approbation  of  the  court  of  Madrid,  and  C''aptain 
Bonechea  was  again  despatched  to  tlie  Society  group.  He  sailed  from 
Callao  on  the  20lh  September,  1774,  having  on  board  two  monks  of  the  or- 
der of  St.  Francis,  a  portable  house,  sheep  and  cattle,  seeds  and  imple> 
menis,  two  natives  brought  away  in  the  previous  voyage,  and  a  I'nguist, 
to  be  left  at  Otaheite  with  the  missionaries.  On  the  30th  October  he  dis- 
covered an  island,  which  he  named  San  Narcisso,  and  which  is  believed 
to  be  the  same  with  He  Daugier  of  Dup^rrey.  The  next  day  he  descried 
another,  which  be  called  Las  Animas  (theMoller  of  Billinghausen,  and 
the  Freycinet  of  Duperrey).     On  the  1st  of  November  1m  digcerned  one 


COOK  S   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


303 


•8  produced 
ountrymen. 
B  treasures 
tie  might  be 
le  regarded, 
unning  flat- 
re  are  told, 
flFection,  ea- 
i  old  woman, 
1  at  his  feet 
ared  in  Oai- 
visions,  calk 

sum  erected  on 
ition,  "CiiRis- 
leen  raised,  he 
Illy  visited  the 
iched  flrom  the 
le,  however,  to 
itisoniy  with- 
een  brought  to 
ety  of  Paris  by 
It.  I»y  M.  n'lJr- 
1834  (2d  s^rie, 
rprise  have  «p- 
f  London  (vol. 

te  visits  of  the 
ima  to  prepare. 
rchipelaiEo,  ana 
population,  and 
lilted  out  the 
iiigo  Ronechea, 
sached  Otaheite 
,  arrived  at  Val- 
leiitation  of  the 
ig  hif)  journals 
•oy.  "buiatihe 
jesty,  as  to  the 
ese  seas  if  any 
►f  tliem." 
d,  and  ('aptain 
He  sailed  from 
fioriksof  iheor- 
eds  and  imple- 
and  a  l-nguist, 
October  he  dis- 
lich  is  believed 
day  he  descried 
inghausen,  and 
le  discerned  one 


the  vessels,  and  make  other  necessary  arrangements.  Know- 
ing the  excellence  of  the  cocoanut.  liquor,  he  was  desirous  of 
prevailing  on  his  seamen  to  exchange  for  it  part  of  their  allow- 
ance of  spirits  during  their  stay  at  the  island ;  and  having  as- 
sembled the  ship's  company,  he  represented  the  advantages  of 


which  he  had  seen  in  his  previous  voyage;  and  denominated  San  Simon  et 
Juiles ;  it  is  supposed  to  be  identical  with  the  Resolution  of  Cook  (see 
above,  p.  357).  On  the  morning  of  the  3d  he  saw  a  low  isle  (the  Doubt> 
ful  of  the  great  English  navigator),  which  he  entitled  Los  Marlines;  and 
in  the  evening  of  the  same  day  another,  which  he  designated  San  Qnin- 
tin ;  the  latter  seems  to  be  that  on  which  Beechey,  in  I82A,  bestowed  the 
appellation  ofCroker,  in  honour  of  the  very  learned  and  able  Secretary  to 
the  Admiralty  The  following  afternoon  he  observed  a  third,  on  which 
he  conferred  the  title  of  Todos  Santos,  and  which  is  apparently  the  Chain 
Island  of  Cook.  At  sunset  of  the  8th  the  summits  of  Otaheiie  (or,  as  he 
designs  it,  Amai)  came  in  sight ;  and  on  the  27th  he  anchored  in  the  har< 
hour  of  Oaiiiptha.  The  building  of  the  wooden  mansion  was  completed 
towards  the  end  of  the  year;  and  on  the  1st  of  January,  1775,  the  symbol 
of  Christianity  seen  by  Cook  was  erected  on  the  shore  with  great  pomp, 
amid  the  chanting  of  masMes  and  discharges  of  muskets  and  artillery. 
Having  landed  the  cattle,  the  captain  set  sail  on  the  7ih,  and  passing  by 
Eimeo  and  Huaheine,  touched  at  Ulietea  ;  and  having  descried  Bolabola, 
Tahuaemanu,  Telhuroa  and  Manpete  or  Maurua,  relumed  to  Olaheite  on 
the  20th.  Six  days  after.  Bonechea  died,  and  was  interred  with  becoming 
ceremony  at  the  foot  of  the  cross.  The  command  now  devolved  on  Don 
Tomas  tiayangos,  who  on  the  28th  made  sail  for  Lima,  where  he  ar- 
rived  in  April,  having  seen  and  named  in  his  route  the  islands  Santa  Rosa 
(the  R'lvaval  or  Vavitou  of  modern  maps),  San  Junn  (the  Melville  of 
Beechey),  San  .lulian  (the  Adventure  of  Cook),  and  San  Bias  (the  Tchit- 
■hagolf  of  Billinghatisen).  "  The  result  of  this  voyage,"  we  are  told, 
«  was  the  examination  of  twenty-one  islands,  nine  of  which  were  low, 
and  I  he  others  lolly.  A  particular  acr^unt  of  them,  as  well  as  the  track 
of  the  frigate  correctly  laid  down,  and  all  the  details  of  the  interesting  ex* 
pedition,  were  immediately  forwarded  to  Spain." 

Anxiety  for  the  fate  of  the  missionaries  left  at  Otaheite  prompted  a 
third  visit ;  and,  on  the  27lh  September,  1775,  the  Agui'a,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Don  Cayetano  de  Langara,  once  more  set  sail  from  Callao. 
After  a  voyage  of  thirty-six  days,  the  captain  anchored  in  the  harbour 
of  Oaitipiha.  He  found  that  the  missionaries,  who  were  determined  to 
abandon  their  task,  had  made  no  progress  in  the  conversion  of  the  na- 
tives, and  were  so  alarmed  by  the  human  sacrifices  prevalent  in  the 
island,  that  nothing  but  a  Spanish  garrison  would  induce  them  to  re- 
main. It  was  in  vain  that  the  commander  called  to  their  recollection  their 
high  and  holy  vocation,  and  exhorted  them  to  persist  in  the  glorious  work 
they  had  begun.  Having  embarked  in  the  Aguila,  they  returned  to  Cal- 
lao on  the  17th  of  February.  1776.  "  II  est  remarquable,"  writes  M. 
D*[Jrville,"  qu'd  T^poquedes  deux  expeditions  en  1772  et  1774,  lea  Espag- 
nolsn'aieiit  pointsenti  ni  m£me  soupconn^  queTaUti  (Otaheite)  et  Mal- 
tea  (Maitea  or  Osnaburg)  pouvaient  se  rapporter  aux  lies  Sagiitaria  et 
Dezena,  d^couvertes  au  commencement  du  xvii.  siecle  par  leur  compa- 
triote  Quiros." 


iAj 


^    304 


cook's  third  voyage. 


this  measure,  in  an  address  so  clear  and  judicious,  that  his 
own  crew  first,  and  afterward  that  of  Captain  Gierke,  readily 
concurred  in  the  proposal. 

On  the  23d  the  vessels  were  removed  to  Matavai,  where 
the  calking  and  other  operations  could  be  more  conveniently 
carried  on.  Cook  found  the  sovereign,  his  ancient  friend  Otoo, 
as  anxious  as  ever  to  relieve  his  wants  by  ample  supplies  of 
provisions,  and  to  contribute  to  his  amusement  by  sports  and 
entertainments.  In  return  for  these  important  services,  the 
Englishman  made  him  various  presents  of  poultry  and  other 
animals.  Omai  here  conducted  himself  with  such  imprudence, 
that  he  soon  lost  the  friendship  and  respect  of  the  king  and 
every  chief  of  rank :  ''  He  associated,"  says  Cook,  "  with 
none  but  vagabonds  and  strangers,  whose  sole  views  were  to 

{)lunder  him  ;  and  if  I  had  not  interfered,  they  would  not  have 
eft  him  a  single  article  worth  the  carrying  from  the  island." 
The  voyagers  here  met  with  their  former  companion,  Oedidee, 
who,  in  1773,  had  accompanied  them  from  Ulietea  and  visited 
the  Tonga  Archipelago,  New  Zealand,  and  the  Marquesas,  and 
who  now  took  pains  to  evince  his  superior  civilization  by  con- 
stant repetitions  of  "  Yes,  sir,"  or  "  If  you  please,  sir."  He 
entertained  his  ancient  shipmates  at  a  dinner  of  fish  and  pork 
— the  latter  consisting  of  a  hog  weighing  thirty  pounds,  which 
was  killed  and  served  up  at  table  within  an  hour. 

On  the  14th  of  September  the  two  captains  mounted  on 
horseback,  and  rode  round  the  whole  plain  of  Matavai,  '*  to  the 
very  great  surprise  of  a  great  train  of  people  who  attended  on 
the  occasion,  gazing  on  them  with  as  much  astonishment  as 
if  they  had  been  centaurs."  Though  this  feat  was  repeated 
daily,  the  curiosity  of  the  islanders  continued  unabated.  They 
were  exceedingly  Klelighted  with  the  animals,  which  perhaps 
impressed  them  with  a  higher  notion  of  the  greatness  of  Eu- 
ropean nations  than  all  the  novelties  previously  exhibited. 

On  the  22d  the  commander  submitted  to  a  native  cure  for 
a  rheumatic  affection,  under  which  he  at  that  time  laboured. 
The  process,  called  ramee,  and  generally  performed  by  females, 
was  of  the  same  nature  with  that  to  which  Wallis  and  two  of 
his  officers  had  been  su^ected.  "  I  was  desired,"  says  he, 
"  to  lay  myself  down.  Then,  as  many  of  them  as  could  get 
round  me  began  to  squeeze  me  with  both  hands,  from  head  to 
foot,  but  more  particularly  on  the  parts  where  the  pain  was 
lodged,  till  they  made  my  bones  crack,  and  my  flesh  became 


COOK  S   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


305 


lOUB,  that  his 
lerke,  readily 

atavai,  where 

conveniently 

i  friend  Otoo, 

le  supphes  of 

by  sports  and 

services,  the 

Itry  and  other 

h  imprudence, 

the  king  and 

Cook,  "with 

news  were  to 

i^ould  not  have 

n  the  island." 

.nion,  Oedidee, 

tea  and  visited 

Marquesas,  and 

ization  by  con- 

tase,  sir."    He 

f  fish  and  pork 

pounds,  which 

ir. 

IS  mounted  on 
atavai, "  to  the 
lO  attended  on 
itonishment  as 
was  repeated 
ibated.    They 
hich  perhaps 
tatness  of  £u- 
exhibited. 
jative  cure  for 
time  laboured, 
^ed  by  females, 
[lis  and  two  of 
[red,"  says  he, 
as  could  get 
>,  from  head  to 
the  pain  was 
flesh  became 


i  perfect  mummy.  In  short,  after  undergoing  this  discipline 
about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  I  was  glad  to  get  away  from  them. 
However,  the  operation  gave  me  immediate  reHef,  which  rn- 
couraged  me  to  submit  to  another  rubbing-down  before  I  went 
to  bed ;  and  it  was  so  effectual,  that  I  found  myself  pretty 
easy  all  the  night  after.  My  female  physicians  repeated  their 
prescription  the  next  morning,  and  again  in  the  evening ;  after 
which  I  found  the  pains  entirely  removed."* 

The  repeated  visits  of  Cook  had  created  a  persuasion 
among  the  natives  that  the  intercourse  would  be  continued  ; 
and  Otoo  enjoined  him  to  request  the  Earee  rahie  no  Preiane, 
the  King  of  Britain,  to  send  him,  by  the  next  ships,  fid  feath- 
ers, with  the  birds  which  produced  them,  also  axes,  musketf^ 
powder,  shot,  and  horses.  He  followed  this  solicitation  with 
an  assurance  that,  should  the  Spaniards,  who  had  recently 
been  there,  return,  he  would  not  permit  them  to  occypy  Ma^ 
tavai  Fort,  which  he  said  belonged  to  the  English.  This 
remark  showed  with  what  facility  a  settlement  might  be 
made  at  Otaheite,  which,  however,  the  great  navigator  hoped 
would  never  happen  ;  apprehending  that,  conducted  as  most 
European  establishments  among  savage  nations  have  unfortu- 
nately been,  it  would  give  the  people  just  cause  to  lament  that 
their  island  had  ever  been  discovered.  "  Indeed,"  he  adds, 
"  it  is  very  unlikely  that  any  measure  of  this  kind  should  ever 
be  seriously  thought  of,  as  it  can  neither  serve  the  purposes 
of  public  ambition  nor  of  private  avarice  ;  and,  without  such 
inducements,  I  may  pronounce  that  it  will  never  be  underta- 
ken."! 

*  Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  ii.,  p.  63. 

t  Idem,  vol.  ii.,  p.  77.  Cowper  would  seem  to  have  had  this  passage 
in  his  view  when  he  wrote  his  verses  on  Oinai,  which  thus  conclude : — 

<<  We  round  no  bait 
,  t  To  tempt  us  in  thy  country.    Doing  good, 

,       ^    ^        Disinterested  g<iod,  is  not  our  trade. 

Wetravelfar, 'tis  irne,  but  not  for  naught;  ,  ,., 

And  must  be  bribed  to  compass  earth  again 
By  other  hopes  and  richer  Iruits  than  yours." 

"  The  ship  Duff*  had  not  sailed,**  says  Mr.  Ellis,  in  allusion  to  these 
lines,  "  and  the  spirit  or  missionary  enterprise  wan  not  aroused  In  the 
British  churches.  Had  Cowper  lived  to  see  these  operations  of  Christian 
benevolence,  he  would  have  cheered  with  his  own  numbers  those  whr 
had  gone  out  from  Britain  and  other  lands,  not  only  to  civilize,  but  to  at- 
tempt the  moral  renovation  of  the  heathen."— Polynesian  Researches, 
vol.  iL,  p.  875. 

C  c  2 


306 


COOK  S   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


On  the  29th  Cook  took  his  departure  from  Otaheite,  end 
the  next  day  anchored  in  Eimeo,  which  he  now  visited  for  the 
first  time.  During  a  stay  of  six  days,  he  was  hospitably  en- 
tertained, and  the  greatest  harmony  subsisted  between  him 
and  the  inhabitants  ;  but  when  he  was  on  the  eve  of  quitting 
the  island,  one  of  his  goats  was  stolen — a  loss  which  inter- 
fered with  his  views  of  stocking  other  places  with  these  ani- 
mals. Having  resolved  to  use  every  possible  expedient  for 
its  recovery,  he  in  the  first  place  employed  menaces,  but  with 
so  little  effect,  that  in  the  meanwhile  another  was  taken  away. 
Some  of  the  natives  alleged  that  it  had  strayed  into  the  woods, 
and  went  off  as  if  in  quest  of  it ;  but  not  one  of  them  returned  ; 
and  the  people  began  to  leave  the  neighbourhood — ^the  usual 
indication  of  conscious  delinquency.  Having  regained  the 
animal  first  abstracted.  Cook,  in  order  to  obtain  restitution  of 
the  other,  despatched  a  boat  to  that  part'  of  the  country  where 
it  was  said  to  be.  The  officers  intrusted  with  the  duty  hav- 
ing returned  after  a  fruitless  search,  he  proceeded  the  next 
morning  with  thirty-five  men  across  the  island,  three  armed 
boats  being  at  the  same  time  ordered  to  support  them  if  ne- 
cessary. The  inhabitants  fled  at  their  first  approach,  but,  on 
being  assured  of  safety,  remained  in  their  dwellings.  Still 
no  benefit  resulted  from  the  expedition,  which  was  more  than 
once  artfully  misdirected,  and  in  danger  of  being  attacked. 
Having  gathered  some  of  the  natives  together,  he  informed 
them,  that  unless  the  goat  were  immediately  delivered  up,  he 
would  set  fire  to  their  houses  and  boats.  Even  this  menace 
failed  ;  and,  in  consequence,  six  or  eight  huts  and  several  war- 
canoes  were  consumed.  The  day,  however,  passed,  and  the 
animal  was  not  restored  till  next  evening,  nor  without  a  rep- 
etition of  the  sajne  severities.  The  following  morning  he 
took  his  departure,  and  at  noon  of  the  12th  October  anchored 
at  Huaheine. 

The  chief  object  entertained  in  visiting  this  island  was  the 
establishment  of  Omai  in  safety  and  independence.  It  was 
his  own  desire  to  settle  in  Ulietea,  where,  as  was  formerly 
mentioned,  his  father  had  been  deprived  of  some  territorial 
possessions  when  the  island  was  conquered  by  the  warriors  of 
Bolabola.  "  I  made  no  doubt,"  says  the  captain,  "  of  being 
able  to  get  the  paternal  inheritance  restored  to  the  son  in  an 
amicable  manner ;  but  he  was  too  great  a  patriot  to  listen  to 
any  such  thing,  and  was  vain  enough  to  suppose  that  I  would 


COOK  S  THIRD  VOYAGE. 


307 


Haheite,  and 
isited  for  the 
ospitably  en- 
)etween  him 
e  of  quitting 
which  inter- 
th  these  ani- 
ixpedient  for 
ces,  but  with 
9  taken  away, 
to  the  woods, 
em  returned ; 
id — ^the  usual 
regained  the 
restitution  of 
ountry  where 
the  duty  hav- 
ded  the  next 
,  three  armed 
t  them  if  ne- 
roach,  but,  on 
eUings.     Still 
as  more  than 
ing  attacked. 
,  he  informed 
ivered  up,  he 
this  menace 
several  war- 
ised,  and  the 
ithout  a  rep- 
morning  he 
tber  anchored 

sland  was  the 
Ince.  It  was 
I  was  formerly 
le  territorial 
jie  warriors  of 
In,  "  of  being 
Ithe  son  in  an 
)t  to  listen  to 
that  I  would 


reinstate  him  by  force."  This  belief  seems,  indeed,  to  have 
taken  strong  possession  of  his  mind.  From  the  commence- 
ment of  the  voyage,  the  defeat  and  expulsion  of  the  invaders 
were  his  constant  themes,  and  he  delighted  to  indulge  in 
dreams  of  their  flight,  when  the  tidings  of  his  return  with  the 
powerful  strangers  should  be  spread  throughout  the  islands. 
For  some  time  no  remonstrances  could  dispel  these  delusions, 
and  '*  he  flew  into  a  passion  if  more  moderate  and  reasonable 
counsels  were  proposed  for  his  advantage ;"  but,  as  he  drew 
nearer  to  his  home,  his  sanguine  hopes  sank  into  despondence, 
and  he  would  have  willingly  remained  at  Tonga  under  the  pro- 
tection of  Feenou.  He  appears,  however,  still  to  have  cher- 
ished some  expectations  that  the  English  would  employ  their 
arm^  to  replace  him  in  his  father's  lands  ;  and  it  was  not  until 
Cook  peremptorily  declared  that  he  would  neither  assist  in 
such  an  enterprise  nor  allow  it  to  be  undertaken,  that  the  Ulie- 
tean  consented  to  take  up  his  abode  in  Huaheine,  with  the 
youths  who  had  come  on  board  at  New  Zealand.  The  grant 
of  a  piece  of  ground  on  the  seashore  having  been  obtained 
from  the  chiefs  hy  the  influence  of  Cook,  the  carpenters  of 
both  ships  proceeded  to  erect  a  house.  A  small  garden  was 
enclosed,  and  stocked  with  shaddocks,  vines,  pineapples, 
melons,  and  the  seeds  of  several  other  vegetables.  The  Eu- 
ropean arms  which  Omai  possessed  were  a  musket,  bayonet, 
and  cartouch-box,  a  fowling-piece,  two  pairs  of  pistols,  and 
several  swords  or  cutlasses ;  besides  these  he  was  furnished 
with  a  helmet  and  coat  of  mail,  numerous  toys  and  trinkets,  a 
portable  organ,  an  electrical  machine,  fireworks,  hatchets,  iron 
tools,  and  kitchen  utensils ;  and  there  were  left  with  him  a 
horse  and  mare,  a  boar  and  two  sows,  and  a  male  and  female 
kid.  To  conciliate  the  chiefs  and  secure  their  protection,  he 
made  them  valuable  presents ;  while  Cook  threatened  them 
with  the  weight  of  his  resentment  if  his  friend  were  injured. 

On  the  second  of  November,  a  favourable  breeze  springing 
up,  the  vessels  got  under  weigh.  Long  after  the  other  islanders 
had  taken  their  departure,  Omai,  melancholy  and  dejected, 
lingered  on  deck.  It  is  related  by  a  journalist  of  the  voyage, 
that  he  so  much  dreaded  lest,  after  the  departure  of  the  squad- 
ron, he  should  be  despoiled  of  his  wealth,  and  reduced  to  his 
former  insignificance,  that  he  earnestly  entreated  to  be  taken 
back  to  Britain  ;*  and  it  was  not  until  the  ships,  were  out  at 

*  Journal  of  Captain  Cook's  last  Voyage  to  tbe  Pacific  Ocean,  fiUtb* 


308 


COOK  S    THIRD   VOYAGE. 


sea,  that  he  proceeded  to  bid  farewell  to  the  officers.  When 
he  came  to  part  with  the  captain  he  burst  into  tears,  and  con- 
tinued to  weep  bitterly  as  the  boat  conveyed  him  to  the  shore. 
For  many  years  the  fate  of  this  "gentle  savage"  was  an 
interesting  topic  for  speculation  in  England ;  and,  as  Cook 
predicted,  with  "  future  navigators  of  that  ocean,  it  could  not 
but  be  a  principal  object  of  curiosity  to  trace  his  fortunes." 
But  a  long  time  elapsed  ere  a  sail  returned  from  those  favoured 
islands  with  tidings  of  his  lot,  to  contrast  the  harsh  reality  of 
truth  with  the  glowing  picture  which  the  fancy  of  Cowper  had 
delineated : —  i 

"  The  dream  is  past ;  and  thou  hast  found  again 
Thy  cocoas  and  bananas,  palms  and  yams, 
And  homestal!  thaich'd  with  leaves.    But  hast  thou  found 
Their  former  charms  1    And,  having  seen  our  state. 
Our  paioces,  our  ladles,  and  our  pomp 
Of  equipage,  our  gardens,  and  our  sports. 
And  heard  our  music  ;  are  thy  simple  fViends, 
Thy  simple  fare,  and  all  tliy  plain  delights, 
As  d<>ar  to  thee  as  once  ?    And  have  thy  joys 
Lost  nothing  by  comparison  with  ours! 
Rude  as  thou  art  (for  we  returned  thee  rude        ' 
And  ignorant,  except  of  outward  show), 
I  cannot  think  thee  yet  so  dull  of  heart 
And  spiritless,  as  never  to  regret 
Bweets  tasted  here,  and  left  as  soon  as  known. 
Methinks  I  see  thee  straying  on  the  beach. 
And  asking  of  the  surge  that  bathes  thy  fbot 
If  ever  it  has  wash'd  our  distant  shore. 
I  8«e  thee  w^'ep,  and  thine  are  honest  tears, 
A  patriot's  for  his  country :  thou  art  sad 
At  thought  of  her  forlorn  and  abject  state, 
From  which  no  pow'r  of  thine  can  raise  her  up. 
Thus  Fancy  paints  thee,  and,  though  apt  to  err, 
Perhaps  errs  little,  when  she  paints  thee  thus. 
She  telU  me,  too,  that  duly  every  morn 
Thou  climbSt  the  mountain-top,  with  eager  eye 
Exploring  far  and  wide  the  wat'ry  waste 
For  sight  of  ship  fVom  England.    Ev'ry  speck 
Seen  in  the  dim  horizon  turns  thee  pale 
With  conflict  of  contending  hopes  and  fears. 
But  comes  at  last  the  dull  and  dusky  eve. 
And  sends  thee  to  thy  cabin,  well  prepared 
To  dream  all  night  of  what  the  day  denied."* 

How  different  from  this  was  the  real  life  of  Omai !     Speed* 

fully  narrated  (Vom  the  original  MS.    Lond.,  1781,  Bvo.    Analyzed  in 
the  Gentleman's  Magazine,  vol.  11.,  p.  231-334,  278,  279. 
*  The  Task,  book  i. 


i 

I 
t 
t 
t 
s 
r 
c 

4 

t( 
a 


COOK^S   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


309 


ily  abandoning  his  European  dress,  and  adopting  the  costume 
of  the  islanders,  he  sank  into  their  indolence,  barbarism,  and 
vice.  The  horses  which  were  left  with  him,  he  regarded 
only  as  means  of  exciting  the  fear  or  the  wonder  of  his  coun- 
trymen ;  and,  far  from  lamenting  their  forlorn  state  with  ths 
tears  of  a  patriot,  his  childish  vanity  found  constant  gratifica- 
tion in  the  superiority  which  the  English  presents  enabled  him 
to  assume.  His  firearms  rendered  him  a  powerful  subject, 
and  secured  for  him  the  hand  of  his  sovereign's  daughter,  with 
the  dignity  or  title  of  Paari  (wise  or  instructed).  Hence- 
forth he  continued  the  inglorious  tool  of  the  king's  cruel  and 
wanton  humour,  assisting  him  with  his  musket  in  time  of  war, 
and  in  peace  frequently  amusing  the  monarch  by  shooting  at 
his  subjects  at  a  distance,  or  gratifying  his  revenge  by  de- 
spatching with  a  pistol  in  the  royal  presence  those  who  had  in- 
curred his  wrath.  He  died  within  three  years  after  his  cele- 
brated voyage,  and  the  New  Zealanders  did  not  long  outlive 
liira.  It  was  expected  by  many  that,  by  imparting  the  arts  and 
civilization  of  Europe,  he  would  acquire  the  title  of  his  coun- 
try's benefactor ;  but  his  name  is  now  rarely  mentioned  except 
with  contempt  or  execration.  The  site  of  his  dwelling  is  by 
the  natives  still  called  Beritani  (Britain) ;  and  amid  the  ruins 
of  the  garden  they  show  a  dark  and  glossy-leaved  shaddock- 
tree,  which  they  love  to  tell  was  planted  by  the  hands  of 
Cook.  The  horses  which  he  left  did  not  long  survive,  but 
the  breed  of  goats  and  pigs  yet  remains  ;  many  of  the  trinkets, 
part  of  the  armour,  and  some  of  the  cutlasses,  are  also  pre- 
served, and  the  numerous  coloured  engravings  of  a  large 
quarto  Bible  are  objects  of  general  attraction.  There  is,  per- 
haps, no  place  in  the  island  to  which  greater  interest  is  at- 
tached ;  for,  besides  its  associations  with  the  names  just  men- 
tioned, on  this  spot  was  reared  the  first  building  in  which  the 
true  Grod  was  publicly  worshipped  in  Huaheine  ;  and  here 
also  was  erected  the  first  school  for  the  instruction  of  the  be- 
nighted inhabitants  in  the  knowledge  of  letters  and  the  prin- 
ciples of  Christianity.* 

Cook  now  stood  over  for  Ulietea,  where  he  moored  on  the 
4th  of  November.  A  few  days  afterward,  a  marine,  yielding 
to  the  enticements  of  the  natives,  deserted  wi  h  his  musket 
and  accoutrements.    He  was  speedily  apprehended  ;  but  little 


*  Ellis,  Polynesian  Researches,  vol.  U.,  p.  364-37S. 


310 


COOKS    THIRD   VOYAGE. 


more  than  a  week  had  elapsed  when  a  midshipman  and  a 
sailor  were  missing  from  the  Discovery.  Captain  Gierke  set 
out  in  quest  of  the  fugitives,  but  returned  after  a  fruitless  day's 
toil,  impressed  with  the  belief  that  the  inhabitants  were  de- 
sirous to  conceal  them.  The  commander  resolved  to  under- 
take the  search  in  person ;  but  he  proved  not  more  fortunate 
than  his  colleague ;  and,  as  a  last  resort,  he  determined  to 
detain  the  chiefs  son,  daughter,  and  son-in-law,  till  the  de- 
serters were  delivered  up.  Oreo,  deeply  alarmed  for  the 
safety  of  his  family,  lost  no  time  in  making  every  exertion  for 
the  recovery  of  the  runagates  ;  while  the  common  people  be- 
wailed the  captivity  of  such  eminent  personages  with  long  and 
loud  exclamations  of  sorrow.  Not  trusting  for  their  release 
to  the  stipulated  condition,  ojr  too  impatient  to  await  its  ful- 
filment, they  formed  a  conspiracy  to  secure  the  person  of  Cook 
and  that  of  his  second  in  command.  The  former  had  been 
accustomed  to  bathe  every  evening,  often  alone,  and  always 
without  arms ;  but,  after  confining  the  chief's  family,  he 
deemed  such  exposure  imprudent ;  and,  at  the  same  time, 
cautioned  his  officers  against  going  far  from  the  ships.  Oreo 
betrayed  his  knowledge  of  the  design  by  repeatedly  asking 
him  if  he  would  not  go  to  the  bathing-place.  Being  thus  dis- 
appointed, it  was  determined  to  seize  on  Messrs.  Clerke  and 
Gore,  who  had  landed ;  and,  accordingly,  a  party  of  the  natives 
armed  with  clubs  advanced  against  them,  while  some  canoes 
were  preparing  to  intercept  their  retreat  to  the  ship.  A  few 
shots,  though  they  fortunately  wounded  no  one,  dispersed 
these  assailants  ;  and  the  next  night,  the  deserters  having 
been  recovered,  the  prisoners  were  set  at  liberty. 

On  the  seventh  December  the  voyagers  quitted  Ulietea 
and  steered  for  Bolabola,  in  order  to  purchase  an  anchor  which 
had  been  lost  by  Bougainville  at  Otahcite,  and  brought  hither 
by  the  natives  as  a  present  to  the  warlike  Opoony.  Cook's 
wish  to  possess  it  arose,  not  from  his  being  in  want  of  such  an 
implement,  but  from  the  necessity  of  having  iron  tools  to  trade 
with,  and  from  his  original  stock  being  exhausted.  He  lost 
no  time,  therefore,  in  offering  for  it  a  nightgown,  a  shirt,  some 
gauze  handkerchiefs,  a  looking-glass,  some  beads,  with  other 
toys,  and  six  axes.  At  the  sight  of  these  last  articles  there 
was  a  general  shout,  and  the  chief  refused  to  accept  the  com- 
modities till  the  English  were  put  in  possession  of  the  anchor. 
It  was  found  to  be  so  greatly  mutilated,  that  Opoony  probably 


ipman  and  a 
in  Gierke  set 
fruitless  day's 
nts  were  de- 
lved to  under- 
lore  fortunate 
letermined  to 
IT,  till  the  de- 
rmed  for  the 
y  exertion  for 
on  people  be- 
with  long  and 
r  their  release 
await  its  ful- 
erson  of  Cook 
mer  had  been 
le,  and  always 
Ps  family,  he 
\e  same  time, 
i  ships.     Oreo 
eatedly  asking 
Being  thus  dis- 
rs.  Gierke  and 
of  the  natives 
some  canoes 
ship,     A  few 
me,  dispersed 
lerters  having 

iiitted  Ulietea 
anchor  which 
)rought  hither 
ony.  Cook's 
ant  of  such  an 
tools  to  trade 
ted.  He  lost 
,  a  shirt,  some 
is,  with  other 
articles  there 
cept  the  cora- 
of  the  anchor, 
oony  probably 


COOK  S    THIRD   VOYAGE. 


311 


considered  it  quite  inadequate  to  the  value  of  the  goods  pro- 
posed in  exchange ;  but  our  navigator,  gratified  by  the  fair 
conduct  of  the  chief,  took  it,  and  sent  in  return  all  the  articles 
originally  intended.  The  Bolabola  men  were  esteemed  in- 
vincible by  their  neighbours,  and  had  extended  the  fame,  if  not 
the  terror  of  their  arms,  as  far  as  to  Otaheite.  The  present 
of  the  anchor  was  a  proof  of  the  awe  in  which  they  were  held  ; 
nor  was  this  the  only  gift  which  they  had  acquired,  for  a  ram, 
left  by  the  Spaniards,  had  been  transported  hither  from  the 
same  island.  The  captain,  on  being  informed  of  this  fact,  put 
a  ewe  on  shore,  in  hopes  of  producing  a  breed  of  sheep.  At 
Ulietea  he  left  pigs  and  goats,  and  from  the  numerous  presents 
which  he  had  dispensed,  he  was  of  opinion,  that  in  a  few 
years  this  archipelago  would  be  stocked  with  all  the  valuable 
domestic  animals  of  Europe.  **  When  once  this  comes  to 
pass,"  he  remarks,  "  no  part  of  the  world  will  equal  these 
islands  in  variety  and  abundance  of  lefroshmcnts  for  navigators. 
Indeed,  even  in  their  present  statu,  I  know  no  place  that 
excels  them.  After  repeated  trials  in  the  course  of  several 
voyages,  we  find,  when  they  are  not  disturbed  by  intestine 
broils,  but  live  in  amity  with  one  another,  which  has  been  the 
case  for  some  years  past,  that  their  productions  are  in  the 
greatest  plenty ;  and  particularly  the  most  valuable  of  all  the 
articles,  their  hogs."* 

On  the  eighth  of  December  he  took  his  departure  from  Bola- 
bola, and  made  sail  to  the  northward.  Seventeen  months  had 
elapsed  since  he  left  England,  yet  he  was  aware,  "  that  with 
regard  to  the  principal  object  of  his  instructions,  the  voyage 
was  at  this  time  only  beginning."  He  had  now  reached  the 
limits  of  his  former  navigation,  and  entered  upon  a  region 
rarely  traversed,  and  never  thoroughly  explored.  In  the  night 
between  the  22d  and  23d  he  crossed  the  equator  in  longitude 
203°  15'  E.  ;  and  soon  after  daybreak  on  the  24th  saw  a  low 
island,  of  a  very  barren  appearance,  on  which  he  bestowed  the 
title  of  Christmas.  It  was  uninhabited,  was  about  fifteen  or 
twenty  leagues  in  circumference,  and  of  semicircular  form. 
No  fresh  water  could  be  found  on  it,  and  only  a  few  low 
trees  ;  but  it  abounded  with  turtle,  of  which  about  300  were 
caught,  "  of  the  green  kind,  and  perhaps  as  good  as  any  in 
the  world." 

*  Voyage  to  the  Faciflc,  rol.  ii.,  p.  134. 


312 


COOKS    THIRD   VOYAGE. 


Man  of  Sandwich  Isltinds  in  a  Mask. 

The  voyagers  weighed  anchor  on  the  2d  January,  1778,  and 
resumed  their  course  towards  the  north,  favoured  by  serene 
skies  and  gentl6  breezes.  On  reaching  the  latitude  of  10^ 
30'  N.,  various  birds  and  turtles  were  seen  every  day,  and 
regarded  as  indications  of  the  vicinity  of  land.  None,  how- 
ever, was  discovered  till  the  morning  of  the  18th,  when  an 
island  appeared,  bearing  northeast  by  cast ;  soon  after  another 
was  seen  be^Jr.r:  north ;  and  on  the  19th  a  third  in  a  west 
northwest  aiicction.  Doubts  were  entertained  whether  the 
Fccond,  which  lay  most  convenient  for  approach,  had  any  in- 
habitants, till  some  canoes  came  off,  having  in  each  from  three 
to  six  men,  who,  to  ihe  agreeable  surprise  of  our  navigators, 
spoke  the  language  of  Otaheite.  Though  easily  prevailed  on 
to  come  alongside,  they  could  not  be  persuaded  to  venture  on 


CaaK'S  THIRD    VOYAGE  r 


313 


I 


iry,  1778,  and 
red  by  serene 
titude  of  10<^  • 
?ery  day,  and 

None,  how- 
8th,  when  an 

after  another 
lird  in  a  west 

whether  the 
J,  had  any  in- 
ach  from  three 
ur  navigators, 
y  prevailed  on 

to  venture  on 


board.  The  name  of  their  island  was  ascertained  to  be  Atooi 
or  Tauai ;  they  were  of  a  brown  complexion,  and  a  consider- 
able diversity  was  observable  in  their  features,  some  of  which 
were  not  very  different  from  those  of  Europeans.  The 
greater  number  had  their  hair,  which  was  naturally  black,  but 
died  of  a  brown  colour,  cropped  short ;  others  permitted  it  to 
flow  unconfined  in  loose  tresses  ;  and  a  few  wore  it  tied  in  a 
bunch  on  the  crown  of  the  head.  In  general  they  had  beards ; 
no  ornaments  were  observed  on  their  persons,  nor  were  their 
ears  bored ;  some  showed  punctures  on  their  hands  or  near 
the  groin ;  and  the  pieces  of  cloth  worn  by  them  were  curi- 
ously stained  of  various  hues.  On  certain  rare  occasions  they 
wore  a  kind  of  mask^  made  of  a  large  gourd,  with  a  perfora- 
tion for  the  eyes  and  nose ;  the  top  was  adorned  with  small 
green  twigs,  and  from  the  lower  part  hung  strips  of  cloth. 

No  anchorage  being  found  here,  the  vessels  bore  away  to 
leeward,  when  the  canoes  departed  ;  but  as  the  discoverers 
sailed  along  the  coast  others  succeeded,  bringing  roasting-pigs 
and  some  fine  potatoes,  which  the  owners  readily  exchanged 
for  whatever  was  offered  to  them.  Several  villages  were 
seen,  some  on  the  margin  of  the  sea,  others  in  the  interior  of 
the  country  ;  and  the  inhabitants  were  perceived  thronging  to 
the  shore  for  the  purpose  of  viewing  the  ships,  which  passed 
the  night  standing  off  and  on.  In  the  morning,  as  they  were 
moving  towards  the  land,  several  canoes  approached,  and 
some  of  the  natives  had  the  courage  to  come  on  board. 
Never  before,  in  the  course  of  his  voyages,  had  our  navigator 
beheld  such  astonishment  as  these  savages  displayed.  Their 
eyes  wandered  from  one  object  to  another  in  restless  amaze- 
ment ;  they  endeavoured  to  seize  every  tiling  they  came  near ; 
and  the  wildness  of  their  looks  and  actions  proved  them  to  be 
totally  unused  to  European  visiters,  and  ignorant  of  all  their 
comhiodities — iron  alone  excepted ;  and  of  this  it  was  evi- 
dent that  they  had  merely  heard,  or  obtained  a  small  quantity 
at  a  distant  period.  When  asked  what  it  was,  they  replied, 
"  We  do  not  know  ;  we  only  understand  it  as  toe  or  hamaite" 
— the  former  signifying  a  hatchet,  and  the  latter,  probably  re- 
ferring to  some  native  instrument,  in  the  construction  of  which 
iron  might  be  advantageously  substituted  for  stone  or  bone. 
When  beads  were  shown  to  them,  they  inquired,  "  whether 
they  should  eat  them."  When  their  use  was  explained,  they 
were  given  back  as  of  no  value,  and  a  looking-glass  was  re- 

Dd 


^1 


314 


cook's  third  voyage. 


^i'  i 


garded  with  equal  indifference.  Plates  of  earthenware  and 
china  cups  were  so  new  to  their  eyes,  that  they  asked  if  they 
were  made  of  wood. 

About  three  o'clock  the  vessels  succeeded  in  anchoring, 
and  Cook  rowed  to  the  land  with  three  armed  boats  and  a 
party  of  marines.  ♦•  The  very  instant,"  he  says,  "  I  leaped 
on  shore,  the  collected  body  of  the  natives  all  fell  flat  upon 
their  faces,  and  remained  in  that  very  humble  posture  till  by 
expressive  signs  I  prevailed  upon  them  to  rise.  They  then 
brought  a  great  many  small  piss,  which  they  presented  to  me, 
with  plantain-trees,  using  much  the  same  ceremonies  that  we 
had  seen  practised  on  such  occasions  at  the  Society  and  other 
islands  ;  and  a  long  prayer  being  spoken  by  a  single  person, 
in  which  others  of  the  assembly  sometimes  joined.  I  ex- 
pressed my  acceptance  of  their  proffered  friendship,  by  giving 
them  in  return  such  presents  as  I  had  brought  with  me  front 
the  ship  for  that  purpose."*  The  same  deferential  obeisance 
was  afterward  paid  to  him  during  an  excursion  which  he  made 
through  the  country ;  and  he  believed  it  to  be  the  mode  in 
which  the  natives  manifested  respect  to  their  own  chiefs. 
The  people  assisted  his  men  in  rolling  casks  to  and  from  the 
watering-place,  readily  performed  whatever  wad  required  of 
them,  and  merited  the  commendations  of  their  visiters  by  fair 
dealinff ;  there  having  been  no  attempt  to  cheat  or  to  steal 
after  the  first  interview. 

On  the  morning  of  the  23d  a  breeze  sprung  up  at  north- 
east, when,  to  avoid  being  driven  on  shore,  it  became  neces- 
sary to  stand  out  to  procure  sea-room ;  and  the  adverse  winds 
and  cunents  having  drifted  the  vessels  far  from  the  harbour, 
after  several  unsuccessful  attempts  to  regain  it,  they  anchored 
off  the  neighbouring  Island  of  Oneeheow  or  Ni-Hau.  Here 
the  captain  deposited  some  goats,  pigs  of  the  English  breed, 
and  various  useful  seeds,  which  he  had  intended  for  Atooi. 
The  provisions  obtained  at  these  islands  were  reckoned  suffi- 
cient for  nearly  four  weeks'  consumption ;  and,  having  thus 
recruited  his  stores,  on  the  2d  of  February  he  made  sail  with 
a  gentle  breeze  to  the  northward.  "  Of  what  number,"  he 
says,  "this  newly-discovered  archipelago  consists,  must  be 
left  for  future  investigation."  Besides  those  visited,  three 
others  were  ^seen,  Woahoo  or  Oahu,  Oreehoua,  Tahoora  or 

*  Voy«ge  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  ii.,  p.  198. 


C0OK*8   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


315 


Taura.  This  group,  lying  between  the  latitude  of  21°  30', 
and  22°  15'  N.,  and  199°  20',  and  201°  30'  east  longitude,  re- 
ceived, in  honour  of  the  first  lord  of  the  Admiralty,  the  name 
of  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

On  the  7th  the  wind,  having  veered  to  southeast,  enabled 
the  voyagers  to  steer  northeast  and  east  till  the  12th,  when 
another  change  induced  them  to  stand  to  the  northward. 
About  a  fortnight  after,  when  proceeding  more  towards  the 
east,  they  met  with  rockweed  or  sea-leek,  and  now  and  then 
a  piece  of  wood  floated  past.  During  the  whole  of  this 
course,  scarcely  a  bird  or  living  creature  was  seen ;  but  on 
the  6th  of  March  two  large  fowls  settled  near  the  ships. 
The  next  day  two  seals  and  several  whales  were  observed ; 
and  the  dawn  of  the  7th  revealed  the  anxiously-expected  coast 
of  New  Albion,  in  latitude  44°  33'  N.,  longitude  235°  20'  £. 
It  was  richly  wooded,  of  moderate  height,  and  diversified  with 
hills  and  valleys.  To  its  northern  extremity  Cook  gave  the 
name  of  Cape  Foulweather,  from  the  gales  which  he  expe- 
rienced in  its  vicinity,  and  which  obliged  him  to  tack  off  and 
on  several  days.  At  length,  after  various  hazards,  a  large 
opening  was  observed  on  the  29th,  in  latitude  49°  15'  N., 
longitude  233°  20'  £.,  and  from  its  promising  appearance  re- 
ceived the  title  of  Hope  Bay.  Into  this  inlet  he  sailed  four 
miles,  when  the  night  closing  in,  he  came  to  anchor  in  deep 
water,  within  a  hawser's  length  of  the  shore. 

It  was  certain  that  the  country  was  inhabited ;  a  village 
was  observed  on  the  western  side  of  the  sound ;  and  three 
canoes  shaped  like  Norway  yawls  came  off.  When  they  drew 
near,  a  native  rose  and  made  a  long  oration,  apparently  in- 
viting the  strangers  to  land,  and  at  the  same  time  he  continued 
strewing  feathers  towards  them,  while  some  of  his  companions 
scattered  handfuls  of  red  powder.  The  speaker,  who  was 
dressed  in  the  skin  of  an  animal,  held  in  each  hand  a  kind  of 
rattle ;  and  when  he  sat  down,  another  began  to  declaim  in  his 
turn,  in  a  language  wholly  unintelligible  to  their  visiters. 
They  then  quietly  conversed  among  themselves,  betraying 
neither  distrust  nor  surprise  ;  some  of  them  occasionally  stood 
up  and  made  harangues ;  and  one  sang  a  very  pleasant  air, 
with  a  softness  quite  unexpected. 

The  next  day  the  vessels  were  removed  to  a  safer  anchor- 
age, amid  a  great  concourse  of  the  inhabitants.  Their  dispo- 
sition was  quiet  and  friendly,  and  they  willingly  supplied  the 


316 


cook's  third  voyaoe. 


Man  of  Nootka  Sound. 

voyagers  with  such  provisions  as  they  possessed,  though  their 
refusal  to  accept  any  thing  but  metal  in  exchange  gave  rise  to 
some  perplexity.  They  preferred  brass  to  iron  ;  and  we  are 
told  that,  to  gratify  their  demands,  "  whole  suits  of  clothes 
were  stripped  of  every  button,  bureaux  of  their  furniture,  and 
copper  kettles,  tin  canisters,  candlesticks,  and  the  like,  all 
went  to  wreck."  The  name  of  the  sound  was  Nootka;  and 
the  natives  are  described  as  being  under  the  common  size, 
with  full  round  visages  and  small  black  eyes.  In  many  indi- 
viduals the  ears  were  perforated  in  two  or  three  places,  for 
the  purpose  of  suspending  bits  of  bone,  quills  fixed  on  a 
thong  of  leather^  shells,  bunches  of  woollen  tassels,  or  pieces 
of  tlun  copper.  Ornaments  of  iron,  brass,  or  copper,  shaped 
like  a  horse's  shoe,  were  frequently  introduced  into  the  septum 
of  the  nose,  from  which  they  dangled  over  the  upper  lip. 
The  sexes  so  neaily  resembled  each  other  in  dress  and  stature, 


COOK  8  THIRD   VOYAGE. 


317 


jr^ 


1. 1  ■"•'"  ■  .i<i 


though  their 

Tave  rise  to 

and  we  are 

of  clothes 

miture,  and 

le  like,  all 

ootka;  and 

tnmon  size, 

many  indi- 

places,  for 

fixed  on  a 

,  or  pieces 

per^  shaped 

the  septum 

upper  lip. 

and  stature. 


':!:r:mr' 


'^(m^),/;^::^^^ 


y)jv/"iy 


Woman  of  Nootka  Sound. 

that  it  was  difficult  to  distinguish  them ;  the  females,  it  is 
said,  "  possess  no  natural  delicacies  sufficient  to  render  their 
persons  agreeable."*  Nearly  a  month  was  passed  in  uninter- 
rupted friendship  among  these  savages ;  and  when  the  ships 
weighed  anchor,  they  followed  the  strangers  to  the  mouth  of 
the  sound,  importuning  them  to  repeat  their  visit,  and  promis- 
ingan  ample  supply  of  skins. 

The  voyagers  reached  the  open  sea  on  the  26th  of  April ; 
but  scarcely  had  they  cleared  the  land,  when  a  storm  coming 
on,  accompanied  with  such  darkness  that  they  could  not  see 

*  Voyafie  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  ii.,  p.  303.  The  reader  will  find  some  de* 
tails  of  Cook's  proceedings  on  the  American  shores  in  the  Family  Li- 
brary.  No.  XIV.,  Progress  of  Discovery  on  the  more  Northern  Coasts  of 
America,  p  76. 

Dd2 


318 


COOK'S   THIRD  VOYAOE. 


Man  of  Prince  William's  Sound. 

beyond  the  ship's  length,  they  were  obliged  to  stand  out 
from  the  shore  with  all  the  sail  which  the  vessels  could  carry. 
They<lid  not  regain  the  coast  till  the  Ist  of  May,  in  the  par- 
allel of  55°  20' ;  on  the  4th  they  saw  Mount  St.  Elias,  in 
latitude  58°  52',  ^nd  nine  days  after  came  to  anchor  in  an 
inlet  two  degrees  towards  the  north,  on  which  they  bestowed 
the  name  of  Prince  William's  Sound.  The  natives  were 
strong  chested,  with  thick  stout  necks,  and  heads  dispropor- 
tionately large ;  their  hair  was  black  and  straight ;  and  their 
beards,  which  were  generally  thin,  were  in  many  altogether 
wanting.  "  A  mark,"  says  Admiral  Bumey,  ♦•  which  distin- 
guished these  people  from  every  other  known,  was  their  under 
ups  being  perforated  or  slit  through  in  a  Hne  parallel  to  the 
mouth,  and  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  lower,  through 
which  they  wore  pieces  of  carved  bone ;  and  sometimes, 
which  had  a  hideous  efifect,  they  would  remove  the  bone-or- 


( p 


i 


COOK  S    THIRD   VOYAGE. 


319 


stand  out 
ould  carry, 
in  the  par- 

Ellas,  in 
chor  in  an 
bestowed 
ives  were 
dispropor- 

and  their 
altogether 
ch  distin- 
leir  under 
llel  to  the 
T,  through 
omctimes, 

bone-or- 


■^SBS'*' 


Woman  of  Prince  William's  Sound. 

iiament,  and  thrust  as  much  as  they  could  of  their  tongue 
through  the  opening."*  This  incision,  indeed,  was  not  uni- 
versally adopted,  and  the  sailor  who  first  noticed  it  called 
out  that  the  man  had  two  mouths.  The  ears,  however,  were 
generally  pierced,  and  bunches  of  beads  suspended  from 
them  ;  while  the  nose  was  ornamented  by  thrusting  through 
the  septum  a  quill  of  three  or  four  inches  in  length.  They 
wore  high  truncated  caps  of  straw  or  wood,  like  those  ob- 
served at  Nootka.  The  females  allowed  their  hair  to  grow 
long,  and  the  majority  tied  a  small  lock  of  it  on  the  crown. 
In  some  the  lower  lip  was  bored  in  several  places,  to  admit 
the  introduction  of  strings  of  shells  or  beads  of  such  length 
as  occasionally  to  hang  below  the  point  of  the  chin. 

*  Burney'g  Chronological  History  of  Northeastern  Voyages  of  Di»> 
eovery  (London,  1819),  p.  223. 


320 


COOK  S   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


The  commander  sailed  hence  on  the  20th,  and  ptmued  his 
course  along  the  coast,  which  now  trended  to  the  southward. 
On  the  23d  he  reached  an  opening  to  the  north,  into  which  he 
steered  the  ships,  in  the  expectation  of  finding  the  desired  ter- 
mination of  the  American  continent.  It  was,  however,  soon 
discovered  to  be  only  an  inlet  or  an  arm  of  th«;  sea  leading  to 
the  mouths  of  two  rapid  streams :  no  name  was  bestowed  on 
it  at  the  time,  but  the  Earl  of  Sandwich  afterward  directed 
that  it  should  be  called  Cook's  River.  Eleven  days  were  spent 
in  its  examination,  and  the  vessels  did  not  clear  its  entrance 
before  the  6th  of  June.  They  now  sailed  southwestward 
along  the  great  promontory  of  Alaska,  passing  several  islands 
in  their  course,  till  the  19th,  when  some  natives  came  off  and 
delivered  a  wooden  box,  containing  a  note  written  in  Russian 
characters.  Unfortunately  these  were  unintelligible  to  the 
voyagers,  but  they  deciphered  the  dates  1776  and  177S ;  and 
the  obtain  was  of  opinion  that  it  was  a  paper  left  by  Russian 
traders  to  be  delivered  to  wy  of  their  countrymen  who  should 
next  visit  these  regions.  On  the  26th  the  vessels  reached  a 
large  island,  which  was  found  to  be  one  of  the  Aleoutian  or 
Fox  Archipelago,  called  Nowan  Alsacha  or  Oonalaska  ;  and 
two  days  uter  they  came  to  an  anchor  in  the  small  bay  of 
Samgonoodha*  on  its  southeastern  shore. 

On  the  2d  of  July  they  again  made  sail,  and,  doubling 
Cape  Oonamak,  coasted  the  northern  side  of  the  peninsula 
till  they  arrived  at  a  large  bay,  which  received  the  name  of 
Bristol,  while  its  northern  point  was  called  Cape  Newen- 
ham.  On  the  3d  of  August  they  had  attained  the  latitude 
of  62°  34'  N.,  and  on  that  day  died  Mr.  Anderson,  the  surgeon 
of  the  Resolution.  **  The  reader  of  this  journal,*'  says  Cook, 
"  will  have  observed  how  useful  an  assistant  I  had  found  him 
in  the  course  of  the  voyage ;  and  had  it  pleased  God  to  spare 
his  Ufe,  the  public,  I  muce  no  doubt,  might  have  received 
from  him  such  communications  on  the  natural  history  of  the 
several  places  we  visited,  as  would  have  abundantly  shown 
that  he  was  not  unworthy  of  this  commendation.  Soon  after 
he  had  breathed  his  last,  land  was  seen  to  the  westward ;  it 
was  supposed  to  be  an  island ;  and  to  perpetuate  the  memory 
of  the  deceased,  for  whom  I  had  a  very  great  regard,  I  namea 
it  Anderson's  Island."* 


*  Voyagt  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  ii.,  p.  439, 440.   Barney's  Cbn».  Hist,  of 


■  i^ 


COOKS   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


321 


The  discoverers  were  now  at  the  southern  entrance  of  Beh- 
ring's  Strait,  though,  from  the  defective  nature  of  the  cburts 
then  in  use,  they  were  not  aware  of  this  important  fact.  On 
the  5th  they  anchored  near  a  small  island  o£f  the  continent, 
and  Cook,  after  landing,  gave  it  the  name  of  Sledge,  from 
having  found  one  on  the  shore,  though  no  inhabitants  were 
seen.*  Four  days  after,  in  the  latitude  of  66°  46'  N.,  and  lon- 
gitude 168°  IS'  W.,  he  reached  a  remarkable  promontory,  the 
most  westerly  point  of  America  yet  known,  to  which  he  gave 
the  title  of  Cape  Prince  of  Wales.  In  the  evening  the  coast 
of  Asia  came  in  view,  when  he  stood  across  the  strait,  and 
having  passed  three  islands,!  anchored  on  the  following  morn- 
ing in  a  harbour  of  the  Tschuktschi  territories,  where  the 
natives,  though  much  alarmed,  received  the  voyagers  with  un- 
expected politeness,  taking  off  their,  caps  and  making  low 
bows.  From  this  port,  which  he  named  the3ay  of  St.  Law- 
rence, he  stood  over  to  the  northeast  to  prosecute  his  exami- 
nation of  the  American  coast.  On  the  14th  he  was  in  latitude 
67°  46',  near  a  cape  which  was  named  Point  Mulgrave,  and 


bron.  Hist,  of 


Northeaat.  Voyages  of  Discovery,  p.  S32-234.  From  the  circumstance 
that  AnderMn's  Island  han  not  been  seen  by  snbsequent  visiters,  there 
might  have  been  some  grounds  for  questioning  Cook's  accuracy ;  but 
Beechey  has  inrormed  us,  that  he  "  discovered  &  note  by  Captain  Bligh, 
who  was  the  master  with  Captain  Cooli,  written  in  pencil  on  the  margin 
x>r  the  Admiralty  copy  of  Cook's  Third  Voyage,  by  which  it  is  evident 
that  the  compilers  of  the  c!iart  have  overlooked  certain  data  collected  off 
the  eastern  end  of  St.  Lawrence  Island,  on  the  return  of  the  expedi- 
lien  (torn  Norton  Sound,  and  that  t>ie  land  named  Anderson's  Island 
was  the  eastern  end  of  the  Island  of  St.  Lawrence.  Had  Cook's  life 
been  spared,  he  wQi\ild  no  doubt  have  made  the  necessary  correction  in 
fais  chart."— Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  ii.,  p.  293. 

*  The  native  name  has  since  been  ascertained  to  be  ^yak ;  and  Cap- 
tain Beechey  remarks  the  singular  coincidence,  that  this  word,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Esquimaux,  signifies  a  sledge.— \oyige  to  the  Pacific,  vol. 
i.,  p.  40Q. 

t  When  in  Bohring's  Straits,  in  1816,  the  Russian  commander,  Kotze- 
bue,  fhncied  that  he  saw  four  islands ;  and  as  that  which  he  conceived 
himself  to  have  discovered  considerably  exceeded  the  others  in  site,  he 
was  surprised  "  That  neither  Cook  nor  Clerke  should  have  seen  it,  as 
both  their  courses  led  them  close  by  it ;  and,"  he  adds,  "  it  has  occurred 
to  me  that  it  may  haye  since  risen  fl'om  the  sea."— Voyage  of  Uiseovery 
into  the  South  Sea  and  Behring's  Si^raits,  in  the  years  1815-1818  (London, 
1821)1,  vol.  i.,  p.  198.  But  Captain  Beechey  subsequently  found  that 
Koizebud's  supposed  discovery  has  no  existence,  and  that  "  the  islands 
in  the  strait  are  only  three  in  number,  and  occupying  nearly  the  same 
situations  in  which  they  were  placed  in  the  chart  of  Captain  Cook."— 
Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  i.,  p.  335-338,  and  p.  399, 40a 


Iff  ' 


822 


cook's  third  voyage. 


i  f 


in- 


three  days  after  he  encountered  a  field  of  ice,  dense  and  im- 
penetrable, extending  from  west  by  south  to  east  by  north,  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  wander.  The  following  day  he  reached 
the  parallel  of  70°  44'  N.,  when  his  progress  was  arrested  by 
the  ice,  which  was  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  height,  and  compact 
as  a  wall.  The  remotest  jpoint  in  sight  towards  the  east, 
named,  from  the  glaciers  which  surrounded  it.  Icy  Cape,  lay 
in  latitude  70°  29^ N.,  and  longitude  161°  42'  W.,  and  nearly 
half  a  century  elapsed  before  the  limits  of  European  discovery 
were  carried  beyond  this  dreary  headland.* 

The  season  was  now  too  far  advanced  to  leave  any  hope 
that  the  great  object  of  the  voyage  could  be  accomplished  be- 
fore winter.  Abandoning,  therefore,  all  attempts  to  find  a 
passage  into  the  Atlantic,  Cook  turned  his  course  to  the  south- 
ward, and,  on  the  2d  September,  passed  the  most  eastern 
promontory  of  Asia,  ascertaining  the  breadth  of  the  strait,  where 
narrowest,  to  be  thirteen  leagues.  He  coasted  its  western 
shorfts  till  he  made  the  point  called  Tschukotzkoi  Noss,  when 
he  again  crossed  to  the  American  continent ;  and  having  ex- 
plored the  large  gulf  named  Norton  Sound,  anchored  on  the 
3d  of  October  in  Samgonoodha  Harbour,  in  the  Island  of 
Oonalaska.t  The  natives  of  this  place  vvere  the  most  peace- 
able and  inoffensive  people  he  had  met  with.  Their  stature 
was  rather  low ;  then:  necks  short ;  their  faces  swarthy  and 
chubby,  with  black  eyes  and  small  beards.  Their  houses 
were  large  oblong  pits  in  the  ground,  covered  with  a  roof, 
which  was  thatched  with  grass  and  earth,  so  that,  in  external 
appearance,  they  resembled  dunghills.  Towards  each  end  a 
square  opening  was  left,  one  of  which  served  as  a  window, 
while  the  other  was  used  as  a  door,  the  ascent  or  descent  be- 
ing facilitated  by*  a  post  with  steps  cut  in  it. 

*  In  I8S6,  the  expedition  of  Beectiey  extended  our  knowledge  of  the 
American  coasi  126  miles  northenst  of  Icy  Cape,  to  a  promontory  named 
Point  Barrow,  in  latitude  71"  23'  31"  N.,  longitude  71**  23'  31"  W.~ 
Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol .  i.,  p.  425.  Progress  of  Discovery  on  the  more 
Northern  Coasts  of  America,  p.  203. 

t  "  Here,"  my*  Burney, "  closed  oar  first  season  of  nnrthpm  discovery 
—a  season  ofunremitting  activity.  The  ability  and  diligence  exercised 
will  best  appesr  by  comjiaring  the  map  of  the  world,  as  it  stood  previous 
to  this  voyage,  with  the  map  of  me  world  drawn  immediately  after ; 
and  by  keeping  in  mind,  that  the  addition  of  so  large  an  extent  of  intri- 
cate coast,  before  unknown,  was  efilected  by  the  labour  of  a  single  expe- 
dition,  in  little  more  than  half  a  year."— Cbron.  Hist,  of  Northeast.  Dis* 
cov.,p.351. 


86  and  im- 
y  north,  as 
he  reached 
anested  by 
id  compact 
8  the  east, 
f  Cape,  lay 
,  and  nearly 
n  discovery 

e  any  hope 
iplished  be- 
ts to  find  a 
to  the  south- 
lost  eastern 
strait,  where 
its  western 
Noss,  when 
1  having  ex- 
lored  on  the 
\e  Island  of 
most  peace- 
heir  stature 
Iswarthy  and 
'heir  houses 
ith  a  roof, 
in  external 
each  end  a 
a  window, 
descent  be- 


Iwledge  of  the 
lontory  named 
las'  31"  W.— 
ly  OD  tbe  more 

Jipm  discovery 
race  exercised 
Vood  previous 

idlately  after ; 
jttent  of  tniri- 
[a  single  expe> 

Drtbeut.  Dis* 


'1- 


COOK  S  THIRD   VOYAGE. 


323 


A  few  days  after  their  arrival,  the  captains  were  surprised 
by  the  present  of  a  salmon-pie,  baked  in  rye  flour,  which,  with 
a  note  in  the  Russian  language,  was  delivered  to  them  by  two 
natives  from  a  distant  part  of  the  island.  John  Ledyard,  af- 
terward distin^ished  as  a  traveller,  then  a  corporal  of  marines, 
volunteered  his  services  to  proceed  with  the  messengers,  and 
discover  by  whom  the  friendly  gift  had  been  sent.  He  re- 
turned after  two  days,  with  three  Russian  traders,  whose  visit 
was  shortly  followed  by  that  of  Mr.  Ismyloif,  the  principal 
person  in  the  island,  with  whom,  as  far  as  si^s  and  figures 
permitted,  mutual  communication  of  geographical  knowledge 
and  kindly  intercourse  took  place.  To  this  hospitable  and  ex- 
cellent individual  Cook  intrusted  a  letter  to  the  Admiralty, 
enclosing  a  chart  of  his  discoveries,  which  was  faithfully  trans- 
mitted. On  the  26th  our  navigator  set  sail  for  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  where  he  now  proposed  to  p&ss  the  winter,  if  he 
should  find  sufficient  supplies  of  provisions. 

On  the  26th  of  November,  nearly  in  the  latitude  of  20°  59' 
N.,  he  discovered  Mowee  or  Maui,  one  of  the  Sandwich 
group,  lying  farther  west  than  those  visited  in  his  voyage 
towards  the  north.  The  country  seemed  well  wooded  and 
watered,  and  the  inhabitants  were  evidently  of  the  same  nation 
with  the  tribes  to  leeward.  On  the  evening  of  the  30th 
another  and  a  much  larger  island,  Owhyhee  or  Hawaii,  was 
discovered  to  windward ;  and  as  he  drew  near  its  northern 
shores,  the  captain  saw  with  surprise  that  the  tops  of  the 
mountains  were  covered  with  snow  to  a  considerable  depth. 
Nearly  seven  weeks  were  passed  in  sailing  round  it  in  search 
of  a  harbour ;  but  at  length  a  large  bay  named  Karakaooa 
was  observed  on  the  western  side,  and  he  came  to  anchor  on 
the  morning  of  the  17th  January,  1779.  "  I  had  nowhere," 
says  he,  "  in  the  course  of  my  voyages,  seen  so  numerous 
a  body  of  people  assembled  at  one  place ;"  the  ships  were 
covered  with  the  natives ;  vast  multitudes  came  off  in  canoes ; 
many  hundreds  were  swimming  around  "  like  shoals  of  fish," 
and  even  the  shores  of  the  bay  were  thronged  with  spectators. 
One  feeling  of  pleasure  seemed  to  pervade  this  great  crowd, 
and  was  expressed  in  shouts,  in  songs,  and  a  variety  of  wild 
and  extravagant  motions. 

In  gazing  on  the  lofty  vessels  of  the  English,  the  people  of 
Owhynee  beheld  the  fulfilment  of  an  ancient  prophecy.  At 
an  early  period  of  their  history,  when  the  peace  and  plenty  of 


•|i 


i 


u 


ri 


324 


COOKS   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


\'' 


IH 


the  golden  ase  prevailed  amongthem,  there  lived,  near  Kara- 
kaooa,  a  god  named  Rono.  The  beautiful  goddess  Opuna 
having  proved  unfaithful  to  his  bed,  he  threw  her  from  the 
summit  of  a  precipice ;  but  soon  becoming  frantie  with  re- 
morse, he  roamed  throughout  the  islands,  boxing  and  wres- 
tUng  with  every  one  he  could  meet.  Having  deposited  the 
mangled  body  of  his  consort  in  a  morai,  near  the  bay,  he  re- 
mained there  for  a  long  time  in  the  deepest  dejection  and  sor- 
row, and  at  length  determined  to  quit  the  country  where  so 
many  objects  reminded  him  of  his  loss  and  of  his  crime.  He 
accordingly  set  sail  for  a  foreign  land  in  a  strangely-shaped 
canoe,  having  promised  that  he  would  one  day  come  back  on 
a  floating  island,  furnished  with  all  that  man  could  desire.* 

After  his  departure  he  was  worshipped  as  a  god,  and  an- 
nual games  were  established  in  his  honour.  The  ifulfilment 
of  his  assurance  to  return  was  eagerly  looked  for ;  and  when 
the  vessels  under  Cook  arrived,  it  was  believed  that  the  pre- 
diction had  come  to  pass ;  the  ships  were  regarded  as  motus 
or  islands,  and  their  commander  was  hailed  as  the  long-absent 
Rono,  who  had  at  length  reappeared  to  restore  the  xei^  of 
content  and  happiness. t  It.  is  to  be  regretted  that  this  be- 
lief was  not  known  to  the  English ;  and  in  perusing  the  fol- 

*  The  American  missionaries  have  preserved  one  of  the  songs  in  which 
this  tradition  is  imbodied,  entitled  O  Rono  Akua. 

1.  Rono,  Etooah  (or  Akua,  that  is,  God]  of  Hawaii,  in  ancient  times 
resided  with  his  wife  at  Karakaooa. 

3.  The  name  of  the  goddees,  his  love,  was  Kaikiranee-Aree-Opuna. 
They  dwelt  beneath  the  steep  rock. 

3.  A  man  ascended  to  the  summit,  and,  fh>m  the  height,  thus  addressed 
the  spouse  of  Rono  :— 

4.  "  Oh  Kaikiranee-Aree-Opuna,  your  lover  salutes  you.  Keep  this- 
remove  that;  one 'will  still  remain." 

5.  Rono,  overhearing  this  artlul  speech,  killed  his  wifb  with  a  hasty 
stroke. 

6.  Sorry  for  this  rash  deed,  he  carried  to  a  moral  the  lifeless  body  of 
his  wife,  and  made  great  waii  over  it. 

7.  He  travelled  through  Hawaii  in  a  state  of  phrensy,  boxing  with 
every  man  he  met. 

8.  The  people,  astonished,  said,  **  Is  Rono  entirely  mad  1"  He  replied, 
"  I  am  firantic  on  her  account,  I  am  fVantic  with  my  great  love." 

9.  Having  instituted  games  to  commemorate  her  death,  he  embarked 
in  a  triangular  boat  \piama  lau],  and  sailed  to  a  foreign  land. 

10.  Ere  he  departs  a  he  prophesied,  "  I  will  return  in  after  times,  on  an 
island  bearing  cocoanut-irees,  and  swine,  and  dogs."— Voyages  of  H.  M. 
8.  Blonde  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  (London,  1826),  p.  20. 

t  Ellis's  Polynesian  Researches,  vol.  iv.,  p.  134.  Kotzebue's  Voyage 
round  th«  World  In  1823- 1886  (London,  1830),  vol.  i.,  p.  16M69,  and  pv 


cook's  third  voyaob. 


325 


acar  Kara- 
ess  Opuna 
r  from  the 
ic  with  re- 

and  wres- 
posited  the 
bay,  he  re- 
on  and  sor- 
y  where  so 
:rime.  He 
gely-shaped 
me  back  on 

desire.* 
od,  and  an- 
e  fulfilment 
;  and  when 
hat  the  pre- 
ed  as  motus 

long-absent 
the  reign  of 
hat  this  be- 
sing  the  fol- 

iongB  in  which 
ancient  times 

e-Aree-Opuna. 

thus  addressed 

Keep  thls- 

wiih  a  hasty 

relesB  body  of 

,  boxing  with 

"   He  replied, 
love." 

,  he  embarked 
nd. 

er  times,  on  an 
yagesof  H.M. 

abue's  Voyage 
lOMM,  and  ^ 


lowing  details  of  the  divine  honours  and  worship  with  which 
Cook  was  received,  the  reader  must,  in  justice  to  him,  beaar 
in  mind  that  he  was  ignorant  of  their  true  intent. 

Shortly  after  the  Resolution  was  moored,  two  chiefs  brought 
on  board  a  priest  named  Koah,  who,  approaching  the  captain 
with  much  veneration,  threw  over  his  shoulders  a  piece  of  red 
cloth,  and  having  retired  a  few  paces,  made  an  offering  of  a 
small  pig,  while  he  pronounced  a  long  oration.  This  cere- 
mony performed,  the  holy  sage  sat  down  to  table,  eating  freely 
of  the  viands  before  him ;  and,  in  the  evening,  the  commander, 
with  Messrs.  King  and  Bayly,  accompanied  him  on  shore.  On 
landing  they  were  met  by  four  men,  bearing  wands  tipped 
with  dog's  hair,  who  advanced  before  them  shouting  a  few 
words,  among  which  Rono,  or  Orono,  was  very  distinguish' 
able.  Of  the  immense  crowd  previously  collected,  the  whole 
had  now  retired,  except  a  few  who  lay  prostrate  on  the  ground 
beside  the  adjoining  village.  Near  the  beach  stood  a  morai, 
consisting  of  a  pile  of  stones,  fourteen  yards  in  height,  twenty 
in  breadth,  and  forty  in  length  ;  the  summit  of  tms  erection 
was  well  paved,  and  surrounded  by  a  wooden  rail,  on  which 
were  fixed  several  sculls.  In  the  centre  was  an  old  wooden 
building ;  at  one  side,  five  poles,  more  than  twenty  feet  high, 
supported  an  irregular  scaflold ;  and  on  the  other  were  two 
small  houses,  between  which  there  was  a  covered  communi- 
cation. The  voyagers  were  conducted  to  this  spot  by  an  easy 
ascent,  and  at  the  entrance,  where  they  saw  two  large  idols 
with  distorted  features,  they  were  met  by  Kaircekeea,  a  tall 
young  man  with  a  long  beard,  who  presented  Cook  to  the  stat- 
ues, and  having  chanted  a  hymn,  in  which  Koah  joined,  led 
him  to  that  part  of  the  morai  where  the  poles  were  erected. 
Under  these  stood  twelve  images  ranged  in  a  semicircle,  and 
before  the  idol  in  the  centre  was  a  high  table,  containing  a 
putrid  hog,  pieces  of  sugarcane,  cocoanuts,  and  other  fruit. 
The  priest,  placing  the  captain  under  this  stand,  took  down 
the  carcass,  and  held  it  towards  him ;  then,  addressing  him  in 
a  long  speech  delivered  with  great  fervour  and  rapidity,  he 
dropped  the  animal,  and  led  him  to  the  scafibld,  which  both 
•scended,  not  without  great  hazard.    At  this  time  appeared  in 


179-184.    Voyage  of  the  Blonde,  p.  34-38. 
Monde,  tome  ii.,  p.  596. 

E  K 


Freycinet,  Voyage  autowr  da 


886 


COOK  8  THIRD   VOYAGE* 


L.( 


i. 


if' 


solemn  procession  ten  men,  who  bore  a  live  hog  and  a-lai^« 
piece  of  red  cloth,  and,  advancing  a  few  paces,  prostrated 
themselves  and  delivered  the  latter  to  Kaireekeea.  He  car- 
ried  it  to  Koah,  who,  having  wrapped  it  round  the  Englishman^ 
offered  him  the  pig,  which  was  brought  with  like  ceremonv. 
These  two  personaees  now  began  to  chant,  sometimes  togeth- 
er asid  sometimes  utemately,  while  the  navigator  remained  on 
the  scaffold,  swathed  in  red.  When  the  song  was  over,  the 
priest  threw  down  the  hog,  and  having  descended  with  Cook^ 
led  hii.i  before  the  images,  each  of  which  he  addressed,  seem- 
ingly in  a  sneering  tone,  snapping  his  fingers  as  he  passed,  till, 
coming  m  front  of  that  in  the  centre,  supposed  to  be  of  higher 
estimation  than  the  others,  he  threw  himself  prostrate  and  kissed 
it.  The  commander  was  desired  to  do  the  same,  and,  we  aro 
told,  "  suffered  himself  to  be  directed  by  Koah  throughout  the 
whole  of  this  ceremony."  The  party  was  next  conducted  to  an- 
other division  of  the  moral,  sunk  about  three  feet  below  the 
level  of  the  area,  where  he  was  seated  between  two  idols,  the 
sacred  functionary  supporting  one  of  his  arms,  and  Captain 
King  the  other.  When  in  this  position  a  second  procession 
drew  near,  bearing  a  baked  pig,  with  bread-fruit  and  cocoa- 
nuts,  the  first  of  which  Kaireekeea  presented  to  him,  and  again 
began  to  chant ;  while  his  companions  made  regular  responses^ 
In  which  they  frequently  used  the  word  Orono.  On  the  con- 
clusion of  this  ritual,  which  occupied  the  fourth  part  of  an 
hour,  the  natives,  sitting  down  in  front  of  the  strangers,  began 
to  cut  up  the  hog,  peel  tlie  vegetables,  and  prepare  ava,  by  the 
same  process  as  that  practised  in  Tonga  and  elsewhere.  Part 
of  a  cocoanut  was  taken  by  Kaireekeea,  and  having  been 
chewed  by  him  and  wrapped  in  cloth,  was  rubbed  on  the  navi- 
gator's face,  head,  hands,  arms,  and  shoulders.  Then  the 
ava  was  handed  round ;  after  which  the  priest  and  another 
chief  began  to  feed  their  visiters  by  putting  pieces  of  the  flesh 
into  their  mouths.  "  I  had  no  great  objection,'*  says  Gaptain 
King,  '*  to  being  fed  by  Pareea,  who  was  very  cleanly  in  his 

fierson ;  but  Captain  Cook,  who  was  served  by  Koah,  recol- 
ecting  the  putnd  hog,  could  not  swallow  a  morsel ;  and  his 
reluctance,  as  may  be  supposed,  was  not  diminished,  when 
the  old  man,  according  to  his  own  mode  of  civility,  had  chewet] 
it  for  him.'**     This  was  the  last  part  of  the  ceremony,  am 

*  Voyage  to  the  Pacific,  vol.  UL|  p.  8, 


prostrated 
He  car- 
iglishmant 
ceremony, 
les  togeth* 
iinained  on 
B  over,  the 
ffith  Cook, 
sed,  seem- 
passed,  till, 
16  of  higher 
I  and  kissed 
tnd,  we  aro 
tughout  the 
iicted  to  an- 
,  below  the 
o  idols,  the 
nd  Captain 
[  procession 
and  cocoa- 
a,  and  again 
r  responses, 
3n  the  con- 
part  of  an 
igers,  began 
!  ava,  by  the 
rhere.    Part 
laving  been 
on  the  navi- 
Then  the 
and  another 
of  the  flesh 
lays  Captain 
eanly  in  his 
Koah,  recol- 
sel ;  and  his 
ished,  when 
had  chewed 
remony,  am 


COOK  S  THIRD  VOYAOE. 


327 


the  English,  after  distributing  iron  and  other  articles,  quitted 
the  morai,  and  were  conducted  to  the  boats  by  men  bearing 
wands  as  before — the  people  again  retiring,  and  the  few  who 
remained  falling  down  before  them  as  they  walked  along  the 
beach. 

Several  days  passed  without  any  event  of  interest ;  the 
observatory  was  erected,  supplies  of  provisions  were  procured, 
and  the  necessary  repairs  executed  on  the  ships.  Whenever 
the  commander  landed,  a  sacred  herald  marched  before  him, 
proclaiming  the  approach  of  Orono,  and  desiring  the  people 
to  prostrate  themselves.  Offerings  were  made  to  him ;  and, 
in  a  temple  called  Harre'no-Orono^  he  was  subjected  to  a 
repetition  of  the  various  rites  with  which  he  was  worshipped 
on  his  first  landing.  The  priests  daily  supplied  both  the 
ships  and  the  party  which  was  stationed  on  shore  with  hogs 
and  vegetables  beyond  what  was  really  needed,  and  not  only 
without  an  expectation  of  return,  but  in  a  manner  which  be> 
tokened  the  discharge  of  a  religious  duty.  When  asked  at 
whose  instance  these  presents  were  made,  the  answer  was, 
at  that  of  Kaoo,  their  chief,  and  grandfather  to  Kaireekeea. 
This  dignitary  \v&%  then  absent,  attending  on  Terreeoboo,  the 
sovereign  of  Owhyhee  and  its  dopendances. 

On  the  morning  of  the  24th  the  navigators  found  that  the 
whole  bay  had  been  tabooed^  which  had  the  effect  of  cutting 
off  all  communication  between  them  and  the  natives.  This 
ceremony  was  occasioned  by  the  arrival  of  the  king,  who  pri- 
vately inspected  the  ships,  preparatory  to  a  public  visit  on  the 
26th,  which  was  attended  with  great  state.  In  one  canoe 
was  the  monarch  with  his  chiefs,  dressed  in  red-feather  cloaks 
and  helmets,  and  armed  with  daggers  and  long  spears ;  a  sec- 
ond was  filled  with  hogs  and  vegetables,  and  a  third  was  oc- 
cupied by  Kaoo,  his  priests,  and  their  idols — gigantic  images 
made  of  wicker-work  and  covered  with  small  feathers  of  va- 
rious hues.  The  canoes  having  paddled  round  the  ships  amid 
the  solemn  chanting  of  the  priesthood,  made  towards  the  shore, 
whither  Cook  soon  followed.  When  he  came  into  the  royal 
presence,  the  king  rose  up,  and  gracefully  threw  his  own 
mantle  over  the  captain's  shoulders,  put  a  feathered  helmet  on 
his  head,  and  a  curious  fan  into  his  hand  ;  and  lastly,  spread 
five  or  six  cloaks,  all  of  great  beauty  and  value,  at  his  feet. 
The  attendants  then  brought  four  large  hogs,  with  sugarcanea 
and  other  vegetables ;  and  this  part  of  the  pageant  closed 


328 


COOK  8   THIRD  TOYAOB. 


with  an  exchange  of  names,  the  stronsest  pledge  of  friend- 
ship. Shortly  after  appeared  a  sacerdotal  procession,  and  a 
lengthened  train  of  men  bearing  hogs  and  fruits,  led  by  Kaoo, 
"who,  having  wrapped  some  red  cloth  round  the  person  of  the 
commander,  gave  him  a  small  pig,  and  took  his  seat  next  the 
king.  Kaireekeea  and  his  followers  then  began  chanting, 
while  all  the  other  grandees  joined  in  the  responses.  When 
these  formalities  were  over,  the  commander  invited  the  mon- 
arch and  several  nobles  on  board  his  vessel,  where  they  were 
received  with  every  mark  of  respect.  Kaoo  and  t(bme  old 
chiefs  still  remained  on  shore  ;  while  throughout  the  whole 
bay  not  a  canoe  was  to  be  seen,  and  the  people  either  kept 
within  their  dweUings  or  lay  prostrate  on  the  ground — the 
taboo  still  continuing  in  full  force. 

The  submissive  demeanour  of  the  natives  had  removed 
every  apprehension  of  danger,  and  the  officers  freely  mingled 
with  them  on  all  occasions.  Wherever  they  went,  refresh- 
ments, games,  and  recreations  were  presented,  and  even  the 
boys  and  girls  formed  themselves  into  groups,  and  endeav- 
oured to  please  their  visiters  by  exhibiting  their  skill  in  dan- 
cing. 1'he  sole  interruption  to  this  amicable  intercourse 
arose  from  the  thieving  dispositions  of  the  islanders,  which 
sometimes  compelled  the  English  to  have  recourse  to  acts  of 
severity. 

Towards  the  end  of  January,  the  sovereign  and  his  chiefs 
began  to  manifest  an  impatience  for  the  departure  of  their 
guests.  They  imagined,  it  seems,  that  the  strangers  had 
come  from  a  country  where  food  was  scarce,  and  that  their 
principal  object  was  to  obtain  a  supply  of  previsions.  "  In- 
deed," says  Captain  King,  '*  the  meager  appearance  of  some 
of  our  crew,  the  hearty  appetites  with  which  we  sat  down  to 
their  fresh  provisions,  and  our  great  anxiety  to  purchase  and 
carry  off  as  much  as  we  were  able,  led  them,  naturally  enough, 
to  such  a  conclusion.  To  these  may  be  added  a  circumstance 
which  puzzled  them  exceedingly,  our  having  no  women  with 
us ;  together  with  our  quiet  conduct  and  unwarlike  appear- 
ance. It  was  ridiculous  enough  to  see  them  stroking  the 
sides  and  patting  the  bellies  of  me  sailors  (who  were  certain- 
ly much  improved  in  the  sleekness  of  their  looks  during  our 
short  stay  in  the  island),  and  telling  them,  partly  by  signs  and 
partly  by  words,  that  it  was  time  H)r  them  to  go ;  but  if  they 
would  come  again  the  next  bread-fruit  season,  they  should  be 


cook's  third  voyaob. 


329 


if  friend- 
on,  and  a 
by  Kaoo, 
on  of  the 
L  next  the 
chanting, 
I.  When 
the  mon- 
they  were 
(ft)ine  old 
the  whole 
ither  kept 
ound — the 

I  removed 
[y  mingled 
it,  refresh- 
i  even  the 
d  endeav- 
:ill  in  dan- 
ntercourse 
ers,  which 
to  acts  of 

his  chiefs 

e  of  their 

nsers  had 

that  their 

jns.     "  In- 

of  some 
it  down  to 
rchase  and 
ly  enough, 
cumstance 
)men  with 
ce  appear- 
roking  the 
re  certain- 
hiring  our 

signs  and 
rat  if  they 

should  be 


better  able  to  supply  their  wants."*  The  navigators  had 
now  been  sixteen  days  in  the  bay  ;  and,  considering  the  great 
consumption  of  hogs  and  vegetables,  the  desire  expro8R<^  (or 
their  absence  can  excite  little  surprise  ;  but,  so  far  was  the 
monarch  from  entertaining  any  hostile  feeling  towards  them, 
when  he  made  inquiry  as  to  the  day  of  sailing,  that  it  is 
manifest  he  was  actuated  only  by  a  wish  to  prepare  suitable 

{^ifts  for  the  occasion.  He  was  told  that  the  voyagers  would 
eave  the  island  in  two  days,  and  a  proclamation  was  imme- 
diately made  throughout  the  villages,  commanding  the  inhab- 
itants to  bring  hogs  and  vegetables  to  be  offered  to  Orono  on 
his  departure.  At  the  time  fixed,  Terreeoboo  invited  the 
two  commanders  to  visit  him ;  and,  on  arriving  at  his  resi- 
dence, the^  saw  the  ground  covered  with  parcels  of  cloth,  a 
vast  quantity  of  red  and  yellow  feathers,  and  a  great  number 
of  hatchets  and  other  instruments  of  iron,  procured  in  barter 
with  the  ships ;  while  at  a  little  distance  they  observed  a  large 
herd  of  hogs,  with  an  immense  quantity  of  vegetables  of 
every  kind.  The  king,  having  set  apart  about  a  third  of  the 
ironware,  feathers,  and  a  few  pieces  of  cloth,  ordered  the  re- 
mainder of  the  robes,  with  all  the  hogs  and  vegetables,  to  be 
presented  to  the  English,  who  were  astonished  at  the  value 
and  magnitude  of  the  donation,  "  which  far  exceeded  every 
thing  of  the  kind  they  had  seen,  either  at  the  Friendly  or 
Society  Islands."  Captain  King  was  amon^  the  last  to  quit 
the  island,  and  the  natives  crowded  round  him,  lamenting  his 
approaching  departure.  They  urged  him  to  remain  among 
them,  and  even  made  offers  of  the  most  flattering  kind ;  and 
when  he  informed  them  that  Captain  Cook,  whose  son  they 
supposed  him  to  be,  would  not  quit  the  bay  without  him, 
Terreeoboo  and  Kaoo  waited  on  the  commander,  and  re- 
quested that  his  colleague  might  be  left  behind.  Unwilling 
to  give  a  direct  refusal,  he  parted  from  them  with  a  promise 
that  he  would  revisit  the  island  the  succeeding  year,  and  en- 
deavour to  gratify  their  wishes. 

He  sailed  from  Karakaooa  Bay  on  the  4th  of  Febraary,  with 
the  intention  of  completing  his  survey  of  the  archipelago.  On 
the  8th  he  was  still  in  sight  of  Owhyhee,  when  it  was  per- 
ceived that  the  foremast  of  the  Resolution  had  given  way 
iduring  a  gale  which  sprang  up  at  midnight.    Before  thii  ii^ 

*  Voyags  to  the  Paeifle,  vol.  UL,  p.  Ml 
£b2 


330 


COOKS   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


jury  could  be  repaired,  it  was  necessary  to  take  out  the  mast 
•—an  operation  which  could  only  be  performed  iu  some  secure 
ftnchorage ;  and  no  other  harbour  having  been  discovered,  it 
was  determined  to  return  to  that  which  had  been  so  lately 
quitted  ;  and  on  the  11th  the  vessels  came  to  moorings  nearly 
in  the  same  place  as  before.  That,  and  part  of  the  ^ollowing 
day,  were  employed  in  sending  workmen  and  materials  on 
shore,  together  with  the  astronomical  apparatus,  under  guard 
of  a  corporal  and  six  marines ;  and  the  friendly  priests  ta- 
booed the  position  against  annoyance  from  the  inhabitants. 

The  voyagers  were  struck  with  the  altered  appearance  of 
the  bay,  which  was  now  silent  and  deserted,  except  by  one  or 
two  canoes.  Some  individuals,  indeed,  came  off  with  pro 
visions,  but  they  were  few  in  number,  and  the  vast  multitude 
which  had  been  assembled  on  the  former  visit  seemed  to  have 
dispersed  on  the  departure  of  the  ships. 

On  the  evening  of  the  13th  several  chiefs  interfered  to  pre- 
vent the  natives  from  assisting  the  sailors  in  rolling  the  water- 
casks  ;  and  shortly  afterward,  the  islanders  armed  themselves 
with  stones,  and  became  insolent  and  tumultuous.  Alarmed 
by  these  indications.  Captain  King  went  to  the  spot ;  and  on 
his  remonstrating  with  the  leaders,  they  dispersed  the  mob, 
and  allowed  the  casks  to  be  filled  in  quietness.  He  then  went 
to  meet  Cook,  who  was  rowing  towards  the  land  in  the  pin- 
nace, and  having  communicated  to  him  what  had  just  passed, 
was  directed,  in  the  event  of  any  attack  on  the  part  of  the 
people,  to  fire  on  them  with  ball.  In  a  short  time  after,  they 
were  alarmed  by  a  continued  discharge  of  muskets  from  the 
Piscovery,  against  a  canoe  which  was  seen  paddling  hastily  to- 
wards the  shore,  pursued  by  a  small  boat.  The  commander, 
concluding  th^  a  theft  had  been  committed,  ordered  King  to 
follow  him  with  an  armed  marine,  in  order  to  seize  the  delin- 
quents as  they  landed.  These,  however,  escaped  into  the 
country,  and  Cook,  having  pursued  them  about  three  miles 
without  success,  returned  to  the  beach,  ignorant  that  the  stolen 
articles  had  been  recovered.  Meanwhile  the  officer  in  the 
small  boat,  not  content  with  this  success,  seized  the  canoe 
of  the  offender,  when  Pareea,  one  of  the  principal  nobles, 
claimed  the  skiff  as  his  property.  A  violent  affray  ensued, 
in  which  the  chief  was  knocked  down  by  a  blow  from  an  oar. 
This  was  no  sooner  observed  by  his  followers  than  they  at- 
tacked the  English  with  a  shower  of  stones,  and  forcing  them 


COOKS   THIRD    VOYAGE. 


831 


at  the  mast 
oine  secure 
scovered,  it 
n  so  lately 
rings  nearly 
le  following 
naterials  on 
inder  guard 
priests  ta- 
ibitants. 
pearance  of 
)t  by  one  or 
f  with  pro 
}t  multitude 
ned  to  have 

ered  to  pre- 
g  the  water- 
.  themselves 
.  Alarmed 
)ot ;  and  on 
d  the  mob, 
e  then  went 
in  the  pin- 
just  passed, 
part  of  the 
e  after,  they 
its  from  the 
g  hastily  to- 
commander, 
red  King  to 
ie  the  delin- 
ed  into  the 
three  miles 
at  the  stolen 
ficer  in  the 
1  the  canoQ 
ipal  nobles, 
fray  ensued, 
from  an  oar. 
lan  they  at- 
forcing  them 


to  retreat,  began  to  ransack  a  pinnace  belonging  to  the  Reso- 
lution, which  would  have  been  forthwith  demolished,  had  not 
Pareea  driven  away  the  crowd.  He  made  signs  to  the  voy- 
agers to  return  and  take  possession  of  their  Iraat,  which  they 
did,  while  he  promised  to  use  his  endeavours  to  get  back  the 
rest  of  their  property.  As  they  were  proceeding  to  the  ships, 
he  followed  them,  and  restored  the  cap  of  Mr.  Vancouver,  one 
of  the  midshipmen,  and  some  other  trifling  articles.  He  ap- 
peared much  concerned  at  what  had  happened,  and  inquired 
**  if  Orono  would  kill  him,  and  whether  he  would  permit  him 
to  come  on  board  the  next  day."  Being  assured  that  he 
should  suffer  no  harm,  he  joined  noses  with  the  officers,  the 
usual  token  of  friendship,  and  paddled  o£f  towards  the  village 
of  Kowrowa. 

On  learning  these  events,  which  had  occurred  during  his 
pursuit  of  the  fugitives.  Cook  appeared  deeply  mortified  at 
their  unfortunate  result,  and  said  to  Captain  King,  *'  I  am 
tifraid  that  these  people  will  oblige  me  to  use  some  violent 
measures ;  for  they  must  not  be  left  to  imagine  that  they  have 
gained  an  advantage  over  us."  It  was  too  late  to  take  any 
steps  that  evening ;  and  this  officer,  having  executed  the  or- 
ders he  received  to  remove  all  the  natives  from  the  vessels, 
returned  to  the  shore.  Feeling  less  confidence  in  the  barba- 
rians, he  also  posted  a  double  guard  on  the  morai  where  his 
party  was  lodged.  About  eleven  o'clock,  five  men  were  olv 
served  creeping  round  the  building,  who,  on  finding  them- 
selves discovered,  retired  out  of  sight ;  and,  about  an  hour 
afterward,  one  of  them,  having  ventured  up  close  to  the  ob- 
servatory, a  musket  was  fired  over  him  by  the  sentinel,  which 
put  the  whole  to  flight.  No  other  interruption  was  offered, 
but  "  those  who  were  on  duty,"  says  Mr.  Samwell,  "  were 
disturbed  during  the  night  with  shrill  and  melancholy  sounds, 
issuing  from  the  adjacent  villages,  which  they  took  to  be  the 
lamentations  of  the  women.  Perhaps  the  quarrel  between 
us  might  have  filled  their  minds  with  apprehensions  for  the 
safety  of  their  husbands  ;  but,  be  that  as  it  may,  their  mourn- 
ful cries  struck  the  sentinels  with  unusual  awe."* 


*  Narrative  of  the  Death  of  Captain  James  Cook,  &e.,  by  David  Sam- 
well,  Surgeon  of  the  Discovery  (liOnd.,  1786),  p.  8.  It  may  be  proper 
here  to  indicate  the  rources  fVom  which  the  account  given  in  the  preeent 
work  of  the  unfortunate  transactions  that  took  place  during  this  and  the 
fnUowiiig  day  has  been  drawn.    They  are,  Ut,  The  relation  of  Captain 


I 


[5^ 


332 


COOK  8   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


•  With  dayliffht  of  the  next  morning,  Sunday  the  14th,  it 
vras  discovered  that  the  six-oared  cutter  of  the  Discovery  had 
been  stolon.  It  was  moored  to  a  buoy  close  by  the  ship,  in 
such  a  manner  that  its  gunwale  was  level  with  the  surface  of 
the  sea ;  and  thouffh  under  the  eye  of  the  watch,  it  had  been 
cut  from  its  fastenmss  and  carried  off  without  observation. 

On  being  informou  of  this  theft,  Cook  desired  his  colleague 
to  go  on  shore  and  endeavour  to  persuade  the  kins,  Terreeo- 
boo,  to  exert  his  authority  for  the  recovery  of  the  Boat.  Un- 
fortunately, Captain  Clerke  was  so  weak  as  to  be  unable  to 
undertake  the  expedition,  and  the  great  navigator  determined 
to  go  in  person.  At  this  time  King  came  on  board  the  Reso- 
lution, where  he  found  the  marines  getting  ready  their  arms, 
and  the  commander  loading  his  double-barrelled  gun.  While 
relating  the  events  which  had  occurred  at  the  morai  during 
the  nignt,  he  was  interrupted  by  the  other  "  with  some  eager- 
ness,*' and  made  acquainted  with  the  loss  of  the  cutter,  and 
the  plan  which  he  had  formed  for  its  recovery.  This  was,  as 
on  similar  occasions,*  to  get  possession  of  the  sovereign,  or 
some  of  the  principal  chiefs,  and  detain  them  till  the  stolen 
property  was  restored.  In  the  event  of  this  method  failing, 
ho  resolved  to  make  reprisals  on  the  vessels  in  the  harbour, 
and  with  this  view  ordered  three  boats  to  stations  near  the 
outer  points  of  the  bay,  with  directions  to  give  no  molesta- 
tion to  the  small  skiffs,  but  to  prevent  the  departure  of  any 
large  canoe. 

A  little  before  eight  oVlock  Cook  left  the  Resolution  and 
rowed  towards  the  village  of  Kowrowa,  where  the  king  re- 
sided. He  landed  with  Lieutenant  Philips,  a  sergeant,  two 
corporals,  and  six  private  marines ;  and  as  he  proceeded  to- 

Kinr  in  the  Voyage  to  the  Paciflo,  vol.  Hi.,  p.  S5-53.  9d,  the  Narrative 
or  Mr.  Samwell,  qaoted  above.  3d,  That  of  the  late  Admiral  Bumey, 
in  his  Chron.  Hiat.  of  Northeast.  Vny.  of  Discov.,  p.  2&5-S66.  (These 
writers  were  eyewitnesses  or  the  whole  or  part  or  the  events  which  they 
describe.]  4th,  The  anecdotes  collected 'flrom  a  resident  in  and  natives 
or  the  Sandwich  Islands,  by  Mr.  Mariner,  in  hie  Account  of  the  Tonga 
ArohipelaKO,  vol.  i.,  p.  79-74.  5th,  The  account  gathered  Ifom  the  na- 
tives by  Mr.  Ellis,  Polynesian  Researches,  vol.  iv.,  p.  130-138.  6th,  The 
narrative  of  Kotzehue,  New  Voyage  round  the  World,  vol.  i.,  p.  179- 
180.  As  might  be  expected,  theae  auihoriiies  exhibit  various  discrepan- 
ces, which  it  has  been  our  endeavour  to  reconcile  as  fhr  as  possible. 
The  account  given  bv  Kotcebue  has  been  used  with  considerable  caution, 
■s  ito  aoeuracy  has  been  impeached.  See  Mr.  Ellis's  Vindication  of  tba 
Boath  Sea  Missions  (Lond.,  18S1),  p.  13. 
•  8as  above,  p.  Sa6, 890, 310. 


COOK  8   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


333 


he  14th,  it 
Bcovery  had 
tho  ship,  in 
9  surface  of 
it  had  been 
ervation. 
is  colleague 
Iff,  Terreeo- 
boat.  Un- 
e  unable  to 
determined 
d  the  Keso- 
their  arms, 
;un.  While 
lorai  during 
lome  eager- 
cutter,  and 
rhis  was,  as 
overeign,  or 
1  the  stolen 
hod  failing, 
he  harbour, 
18  near  the 
no  mulesta- 
ture  of  any 

olution  and 
he  king  ro- 
rgeant,  two 
[>ceeded  to- 
be  Narrative 
niral  Bumey, 
S66.  I  These 
ts  which  they 
I  and  natives 
of  the  Tonga 
ifom  the  na- 
38.  6^A,The 
ol.  I.,  p.  179- 
us  discrepan- 
as  possible, 
rable  caution* 
ication  of  tb* 


wards  the  hamlet  he  was  received  with  all  accustomed  re- 
spect, the  people  prostrating  themselves  at  his  approst^h,  and 
presenting  him  with  small  hogs.  On  inquiring  for  Terreeoboo 
and  his  sons,  the  latter,  two  youths,  who  had  been  his  con- 
stant guests  on  board  ship,  came  to  him  in  a  short  time,  and 
instantly  conducted  him  towards  the  house  whore  their  father 
was.  On  his  way  he  was  joined  by  several  chiefs,  some  ol 
whom  more  than  once  asked  if  he  wanted  any  hogs  or  other 
provisions ;  to  which  he  replied,  that  he  did  not,  and  that  his 
Business  was  to  see  the  king.  On  reaching  the  royal  resi- 
dence, he  ordered  some  of  the  natives  to  inform  the  monarch 
of  his  desire  to  speak  with  him  ;  but  these,  returning  without 
an  answer,  only  presented  pieces  of  red  cloth ;  when  he,  sus- 
pecting from  this  circumstance  that  his  majesty  was  not  there, 
directed  Lieutenant  Philins  to  enter.  This  gentleman  found 
the  prince  newly  wakenea  from  sleep,  who,  though  apparently 
alarmed  at  the  message,  at  once  came  out.  The  captain  took 
him  by  the  hand,  and  invited  him  to  spend  the  day  on  board 
the  Resolution,  to  which  he  at  once  consented,  and  the  party 
proceeded  towards  the  boats — Terreeoboo  leaning  on  the 
shoulder  of  the  lieutenant,  while  his  youngest  son,  Kaoowa, 
had  reached  the  shor«  and  taken  his  seat  in  the  pinnace. 
Cook  was  perfectly  satisfied  from  what  he  had  learned  that 
the  cutter  had  been  stolen  without  the  knowledge  of  the  king. 

It  was  while  these  things  were  passing  that  the  boats 
placed  near  the  south  point  of  the  harbour,  observing  a  large 
canoe  endeavouring  to  leave  the  bay,  fured  several  muskets 
over  the  heads  of  her  crew,  with  the  view  of  preventing  their 
escape.  One  of  the  balls  unfortunately  killed  a  chief  who 
happened  to  be  on  the  shore  ;  and  two  islanders  immediately 
proceeded  to  the  ships  to  complain  to  the  commander,  and 
finding  that  he  was  at  Kowrowa,  followed  him  thither. 

Terreeoboo,  accompanied  by  his  English  friend,  had  already 
advanced  almost  to  tne  water's  edge,  when  his  people,  con- 
scious of  transgression,  began  to  put  on  their  war-mats,  and 
to  equip  themselves  with  spears,  clubs,  and  daggers.  One  of 
his  favourite  wives  came  after  him,  and  throwing  her  arms 
about  his  neck,  with  many  tears  and  entreaties  besought  him 
to  go  no  farther ;  and  with  the  help  of  two  chiefs,  she  even 
forced  him  to  sit  down  by  the  side  of  a  canoe,  telling  him  he 
would  be  put  to  death  if  he  went  into  the  ship.  No  ardour 
of  expostulations  could  overcome  their  fears ;  and  the  natives. 


334 


COOKS   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


i 


in  the  meanwhile,  collecting  in  great  force  along  the  shore, 
began  to  throng  around  their  sovereign.     While  they  did  so, 
an  old  priest  advanced  towards  the  captain,  holding  out  a  co- 
coanut  as  a  present,  and  in  spite  of  all  entreaty  or  remonstrance 
singing  aloud,  with  the  purpose,  it  was  thought,  of  diverting 
attention  from  his  countiymen,  who  were  every  moment  grow- 
ing more  tumultuous.     Perceiving  the  dangerous  position  in 
which  the  voyagers  were  now  placed,  and  that  his  men  were 
too  much  crowded  together  to  use  their  arms  with  effect, 
the  marine  officer  proposed  to  withdraw  his  party  to  some 
rocks  close  to  the  waterside,  at  the  distance  of  about  thirty 
yards — a  measure  which  was  promptly  adopted,  the  crowd 
making  way  without  reluctance.     Previous  to  this,  it  is  related 
by  Mr.  Samwell  that  Koah  wa*»  observed  lurking  near  with  an 
iron  dagger  partly  concealed  under  his  cloak,  with  the  inten- 
tion apparently    of  stabbing  Captain  Cook  or   Lieutenant 
Philips.     The  latter  proposed  to  fire  at  him,  but  was  forbid- 
den by  his  commander ;  the  savage,  however,  still  pressing 
nearer,  the  officer  struck  him  with  his  piece,  on  which  he  re- 
tired ;  another  islander  seized  on  the  musket  of  the  sergeant, 
and  attempted  to  wrench  it  from  his  grasp,  but  a  blow  from 
the  lieutenant  forced  him  to  abandon  his  hold.     Terreeoboo 
remained  seated,  in  a  state  of  alarm  and  dejection,  while  our 
navigator  urged  him  in  the  most  pressing  manner  to  proceed ; 
and  such  was  the  irresolution  of  the  monarch,  that  his  per- 
suasions might  have  prevailed,  if  the  chiefs  had  not  interposed, 
first  with  earnest  entreaties,  afterward  with  threats  of  vio- 
lence.    The  captain  held  the  timid  prince  by  the  hand ;  but 
seeing  the  general  alarm  of  the  natives,  he  let  go  his  grasp, 
observing  to  Lieutenant  Philips,  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  force  him  (m  board  without  much  bloodshed,  and  that  other 
means  must  be  employed  to  recover  the  boat.     The  perplexed 
ruler  was  immediately  taken  away,  and  was  no  more  seen ; 
while  Cook,  in  company  with  the  lieutenant,  slowly  turned 
his  steps  towards  the  beach. 

At  this  moment  a  native  from  the  opposite  shore  of  the 
bay  rushed  into  the  crowd,  almost  breathless,  exclaiming,  "  It 
is  war !  The  foreigners  have  commenced  hostilities,  have 
fired  on  a  canoe  from  one  of  their  boats,  and  killed  a  chief  !*'* 
This  announcement  occasioned  a  violent  ferment ;  the  wo« 


*  Ellis's  Polynesian  Researches,  vol.  iv.,  p.  131. 


cook's  third  yoyaoe. 


335 


ig  the  shore, 
they  did  so, 
ing  out  a  co- 
remonstrance 
,  of  diverting 
loment  grow- 
ls position  in 
lis  men  were 
I  with  effect, 
arty  to  some 
'  about  thirty 
d,  the  crowd 
8,  it  is  related 
r  near  with  an 
ith  the  inten- 
r  Lieutenant 
it  was  forbid- 
still  pressing 
which  he  re- 
the  sergeant, 
;  a  blow  from 

Terreeoboo 
Ion,  while  our 
r  to  proceed ; 
that  his  per- 
ot  interposed, 
ureats  of  vio- 
le  hand;  but 
go  his  grasp, 
be  impossible 
ind  that  other 
?he  perplexed 

more  seen; 
dowly  turned 

shore  of  the 
claiming,  "  It 
tilities,  have 
edachiefr* 
ent ;  the  wo« 

131. 


men  and  children  immediately  disappeared  ;  while  such  of 
the  men  as  had  not  already  armed  themselves  hastened  to  put 
on  their  war-mats  and  seize  their  spears.  One  of  them  ad- 
vanced towards  Cook,  flourishing  a  long  iron  spike  or  pAJkooat 
by  way  of  defiance,  and  threatening  to  throw  a  stone  which 
he  held  in  his  hand.  Although  called  on  to  keep  back,  he 
continued  to  draw  nearer,  when  our  navigator  considered  it 
necessaiy  to  fire  on  him  with  small  shot.  The  savace  re^ 
ceived  the  full  discharge  on  his  thick  mat,  which  he  held  up 
in  derision,  crying  out,  *•  Mattee-manoo .'" — ^The  gun  is  only 
fit  to  kill  birds — and  poised  his  spear  as  if  to  hurl  it  at  his 
antagonist,  who,  unwilling  to  take  away  his  life,  knocked  him 
down  with  the  butt-end  of  his  musket.  The  only  object  now 
contemplated  by  the  discoverer  was  the  safety  of  his  party ; 
but  the  remonstrances  which  he  addressed  to  the  islanders  on 
their  turbulence  were  answered  by  a  volley  of  stones,  which 
brought  down  one  of  the  marines.  A  native  was  observed  in 
the  act  of  d^urting  a  spear  at  him,  when,  in  self-defence,  he 
discharged  his  piece,  but  missing  his  aim,  killed  another  near 
the  assailant,  who  was  equally  engaged  in  the  tumult.  This 
viras  instantly  followed  by  a  general  attack  with  stones,  which 
was  answered  by  musketry  from  the  marines,  succeeded 
by  that  of  the  people  in  the  boats.  The  captain,  expressing 
his  astonishment  at  the  conduct  of  the  latter,  waved  his  hand 
towards  them,  and  called  on  them  to  cease  firing  and  pull 
close  in  to  receive  the  marines.  The  pinnace  accordingly  ap- 
proached as  near  as  it  could  without  touching  the  ground ; 
but  tile  launch,  apparently  from  misunderstanding  the  signal, 
was  unfortunately  drawn  farther  off.  There  was  on  that 
morning  a  considerable  swell  in  the  bay,  and  the  surf  on  the 
shore  was  greater  than  usual,  so  that  the  boats  were  obliged 
to  lie  off  on  their  oars ;  and  from  the  noise  of  the  waves  on  the 
rocks,  and  the  uproar  of  the  multitude,  it  was  impossible  for 
them  to  hear  their  commander's  orders  with  distinctness. 

The  natives,  contrary  to  expectation,  had  stood  the  fire 
with  great  firmness,  and  thougn  they  fell  back  at  first,  they 
advanced  before  the  marines  mi  time  to  reload,  and  broke  in 
upon  them  with  frightful  yells.  After  this  all  was  horror  and 
confusion.  The  soldiers  were  home  down  and  forced  into 
the  water,  where  four  of  them  were  slain  and  three  danger- 
ously hurt.  Among  the  latter  was  the  lieutenant,  who,  after 
he  awA  gained  the  pinnace,  pereeinng  one  of  his  men  left  on 


Mtt! 


1 


336 


COOK  8   THlRIi  VOYAGE. 


the  shore,  gallantly  leaped  overboard,  and,  swimming  to  thcr 
rocks,  succeeded  m  bringing  him  oil'  in  safety.*  Cook,  who 
had  lingered  behind,  was  now  observed  walking  towards  the 
boats  ;  he  held  his  musket  in  one  hand,  and  the  other  was 
placed  asainst  the  back  of  his  head,  to  protect  it  from  the 
stones  showered  by  the  natives.  A  man  followed  him,  but 
cautiously  and  timidly,  stopping  once  or  twice,  irresolute 
whether  to  strike  or  not ;  and  it  was  remarked  that,  when  the 
captain's  face  was  towards  the  barbarians,  none  of  them  of- 
fered any  violence.  On  reaching  the  water's  edge,  he  turned 
about  to  give  orders  to  the  boats,  when  his  pursuer,  advancing, 
unobserved,  struck  him  on  the  back  of  the  head  with  a  club 
or  stave,  and  immediately  retreated,  t  Stunned  by  the  blow^ 
ho  tottered  forward  a  few  paces,  and  then  fell  on  his  hand  and 
knee,  letting  his  musket  drop,  while  a  ;^  '^^it  shout  burst  from 
the  islanders.  As  he  was  rising,  and  be  ^ !  e  could  regain 
his  footing,  another  savage  stabbed  \a  >  le  back  of  the 

neck  with  an  iron  spike,  on  which  he  a^w..i  tell  into  a  pool 
among  the  shelves,  scarcely  more  than  knee-deep.  Unable  to 
swim,  and  dizzy  from  the  wounds  he  had  received,  he  turned 
towards  the  rocks,  and  was  immediately  surrounded  by  the 
natives,  who  crowded  about  him  and  endeavoured  to  keep  him 
under  the  water.  He  struggled  violently  against  them,  and 
succeeded  in  raising  his  head,  when  ho  turned  his  eyes  towards 
the  pinnace,  as  if  beseeching  that  aid  which,  in  the  confusion- 

*  Bumey  ootnpares  this  'with  a  similar  exploit  performed  durins  the 
oruiseorihe  NasMU  Fleet  off  the  coast  or  New  Spain  in  November,  IA24. 
A  boat's  crew,  who  had  Isnded  to  procure  water,  f^il  into  an  ambuscade 
laid  by  the  Sfianiards,  in  which  fc jr  uf  them  loit  their  lives,  while  tlie 
rest  were  (breed  to  embarit  in  great  concision.  '>  In  the  haste  made,  one 
man  wm  led  behind  on  the  beach  ;  but  his  captain,  Cornelys  dn  Witte, 
who  had  gone  hilnseir  on  ihle  service,  retoriwd  to  the  shore  in  the  Aiee 
oi'  the  enemy,  and  look  him  into  his  boat—*  an  act  of  generosity,'  as  i» 
justly  observed  by  the  French  translator,  '  worth  a  wound  which  hn  re- 
ceived in  his  side,  and  of  which  he  was  afterward  cured '  "—Bumey, 
Chron.  Hist.  Discov.,  vol.  ill.,  p.  31, 33,  Note.  Hist,  of  Northeastern 
Discov.,  p.  Wi. 

t  Mr.  Msriner  was  infbrmed  thst  this  Individual  was  a  native  carpen- 


ter, and  that  he  struck  Cook,  ''either  in  tlie  aiiprehenslon  thst  he  was 
at  that  moment  ordering  his  men  to  incresse  their  Are,  or  not  knowing 
him  to  be  the  extraordinary  beinf  (Rono)of  whom  he  had  heard  so  much ; 
fl>r  he  lived  s  considerable  distsnce  up  the  country,  and  was  not  person- 
ally acquainted  with  him.  The  natives  hsd  no  idea  that  Cook  could 
poasiblv  be  killed,  ss  they  considered  him  a  supernatural  being,  and  were 
astonished  when  they  saw  him  fldl."— Tonga  Islands,  vol.  li.,  p.  74 
Samwsll's  Narrative,  p^  16. 


COOK^B   THIRD   VOYAGE. 


337 


ling  to  th# 
Cook,  who 
owarUs  the 
B  other  was 
it  from  the 
3d  him,  but 
I,  irresolute 
kt,  when  the 
of  them  of- 
B,  he  turned 
r,  advancing, 
with  a  club 
by  the  blow, 
[US  hand  and 
t  burst  from 
sould  regain 
back  of  the 
into  a  pool 
Unable  to 
)d,  he  turned 
nded  by  the 
I  to  keep  him 
A  them,  and 
eyes  towards 
he  confusion 

ned  durlns  thr 
ovember,  |A84> 
an  ambuscade 
tves,  while  the 
aate  made,  one 
lelys  dK  Witte, 
lore  in  the  fliee 
leroniiy,'  as  1» 
d  which  hii  re- 
id » "— Burney, 
Northeastern 

native  carpen- 
n  that  he  was 
r  not  knowini^ 
leard  so  much ; 
as  not  person- 
at  Cook  could 
eing,  and  were 
vol.  li.,  p.  7« 


of  the  scone,  it  was  impossible  to  afford.  Though  again 
forced  under  water  deeper  than  before,  he  was  once  more  able 
to  lift  his  head  above  it,  and,  almost  exhausted,  had  laid  hold 
of  a  rock  for  support,  when  a  savage  struck  him  with  a  club, 
and  he  was  seen  alive  no  more.  They  then  dragged  his  body 
from  the  water,  and  were  observed  to  snatch  the  daggers  from 
each  other's  hands  in  order  to  pierce  the  corpse ;  nor  did  they 
desist  for  some  time,  though  a  fire  was  directed  against  them 
from  the  boats,  and  several  were  seen  to  fall  by  the  side  of 
their  victim.*  When  they  at  last  gave  way,  a  small  skiff, 
manned  by  five  ycjng  midshipmen,  pulled  to  the  shore,  where 
they  saw  the  bodies  of  their  companions  lying  on  the  ground 
without  any  signs  of  life ;  but,  considering  it  danfferous'  to 
land  with  so  small  a  force,  they  returned  to  the  vessels,  where 
the  tidings  of  this  great  calamity  spread  universal  sorrow  and 
dismay. 

Animated  by  their  success,  the  natives  began  to  gather 
round  the  moral  in  another  part  of  the  harbour,  where  Captain 
King  with  some  men  had  been  left  in  charge  of  the  astro- 
nomical instruments,  the  foremast  of  the  Resolution,  and  the 
greater  portion  of  the  sails  of  both  vessels  ;  but  after  a  brief 
conflict,  a  truce  was  agreed  to,  and  the  voyagers  were  per- 
mitted to  withdraw,  carrying  their  effects  with  them,  without 
molestation.  The  savages,  however,  seemed  to  be  still  bent 
on  hostilities ;  an  immense  concourse  was  drawn  up  on  the 
shore,  and  several  went  off  in  their  canoes  till  within  pistol- 
shot  of  the  ships,  challenging  the  people  on  board  with  marks 
of  defiance  and  contempt.  In  the  afternoon  King  rowed  to- 
wards the  land,  where  he  had  an  interview  with  some  of  the 
chiefs  ;  and,  in  answer  to  his  inquiries  after  the  body  of  his 

'  *  The  anxiety  manifested  by  the  islanders  to  mangle  the  body  of  oar 
great  countryman  was,  at  the  time,  commonly  attributed  to  **  a  savage 
eagerness  to  have  a  share  in  his  destruction."  But  it  has  been  remarked 
by  Dr.  Martin,  that,  "in  all  probability,  this  eagerness  to  seiie  the  dag- 
ger was  prompted  in  each  by  the  wish  to  be  possessed  of  an  instrament 
which  had  become  consecrated,  as  it  were,  by  the  death  of  so  gnat  a 
man ;  at  least,  this  is  presumed  flrom  what  would  liave  been  the  senti- 
ment had  it  happened  at  the  Tonga  Islands.**— Mariner's  Tonga  Islands, 
vol.  li,.  p.  74, 75.  That  the  seeming  barbarity  exhibited  on  this  occasion 
arose  (Vom  some  superstiiinus  notion,  such  as  that  mentioned  by  Dr. 
Martin,  Is  a  supposition  virhich  derives  confirmation  (Vom  the  belief  which 
the  islanders  entertained  with  regard  to  Cook,  fVom  the  tiooours  after- 
ward rendered  to  his  remains,  and  ttook  the  expressions  need  by  the 
HHtives  to  Mr.  Ellis—"  After  be  was  dead,  we  all  wailed  !**— Polyaesiaa 
Rtjsearchef,  vol.  iv.,  p.  132. 

Pf 


338 


COOK^S   THIRD  V0TA6K* 


late  commander,  was  assured  that  it  had  been  carried  up  the 
country,  but  would  be  restored  the  next  morning.  This  prom- 
ise was  not  fulfilled ;  but  after  nightfall  of  the  15th,  a  person 
who  had  constantly  attended  Cook  when  on  shore,  came  ofT 
to  the  ship  and  presented  to  Captain  King  a  small  bundle 
wrapped  up  in  cloth,  containing  a  piece  of  flesh  about  ten  pounds 
in  weight.  This,  he  said,  was  all  that  remained  of  the  body  of 
^e  unfortunate  navigator  ;  that  the  rest  had  been  cut  off  and 
burnt ;  and  that  the  head  and  all  the  bones^  except  those  of 
the  trunk,  were  in  the  possession  of  the  king  and  the  chiefs. 
Before  departing,  be  asked  with  gre&t  anxiety,  *'  When  Orono 
would  come  again  1"  and  "What  he  would  do  to  them  on 
his  return  1" — questions  which  were  frequently  repeated  by 
others.  The  impression  of  the  islanders  that  the  murdered 
leader  was  their  ancient  deity  was  not  even  yet  wholly  dissi- 
pated :  and  although  some,  when  they  saw  his  blood  streaming 
and  heard  his  groans,  exclaimed,  "  This  is  not  Rono !"  others 
still  believed  in  his  divinity,  and  cherished  the  hope  that  he 
would  once  more  appear  among  them. 

On  the  17th  a  party,  who  landed  to  procure  water,  experi- 
enced so  much  annoyance  from  the  inhabitants,  that  it  was  ne- 
cessary to  bum  down  a  few  straggling  huts  which  afforded 
them  shelter.  Those  to  whom  tliis  order  was  intrusted  car- 
ried it  far  beyond  the  proper  limits :  the  whole  village  was  set 
on  fire  and  consumed,  with  the  house<)  of  the  priests,  at  whose 
hands  nothing  but  friendship  had  been  tperienced.  This  act, 
followed  by  the  death  of  several  of  the  k  ages,  who  were  shot 
in  attempting  to  escape  from  the  flames,  conveyed  a  suitable 
terror  of  the  English  power ;  and,  on  the  evening  of  the  18th, 
a  chief  came  with  presents  from  Terreeoboo  to  sue  for  peace. 

On  the  mortiing  of  the  20tb  the  mast  of  the  Resolution 
was  replaced,  and  the  same  day  the  remains  of  its  lamented 
commander  were  delivered  up  to  his  successor,  wrapped  in  a 
large  quantity  of  fine  cloth,  and  covered  with  a  cloak  of  black 
and  white  feathers.  "  We  found  in  this  bundle,"  says  Cap- 
tain King,  "  both  the  hands  of  Captain  Cook  entire,  which 
were  well  known  from  a  remarkable  scar  on  one  of  them,  that 
divided  the  thumb  from  the  forefinger,  the  whole  length  of  the 
metacarpal  bone ;  the  scull,  but  with  the  scalp  separated  from 
it,  and  tne  bones  that  form  the  face  wanting  ;  the  scalp,  with 
the  hair  upon  it  cut  short,  and  the  ears  adhering  to  it ;  the 
bones  of  both  arms,  with  the  skin  of  the  fore-arms  hanging  to* 


COOK  S   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


339 


rried  up  the 
This  prom- 
th,  a  person 
re,  came  oS 
mall  bundle 
t  ten  pounds 
r  the  body  of 
cut  off  and 
;pt  those  of 
1  the  chiefs. 
Nheti  Orona 
to  them  on 
repeated  by 
le  murdered 
wholly  dissi- 
)d  streaming 
•no !"  other* 
ope  that  he 

ater,  experi* 
at  it  was  ne- 
ich  afforded 
itrusted  car- 
ilage  was  set 
Its,  at  whose 
[.  This  act, 
10  were  shot 
id  a  suitable 
•of  the  18th, 
le  for  peace. 
i  Resolution 
its  lamented 
trapped  in  a 
loak  of  black 
,"  says  Cap- 
sntire,  which 
of  them,  that 
length  of  the 
parated  from 
e  scalp,  with 
ig  to  It ;  the 
IS  hanging  to 


them,  the  thigh  and  leg  bones  joined  together,  but  without  the 
feet.  The  Ugaments  of  the  joints  were  entire;  and  the 
whole  bore  evident  marks  of  having  been  in  the  fire,  except 
the  hands,  which  had  the  flesh  left  upon  them,  and  were  cut 
in  several  places  and  crammed  with  salt,  apparently  with  an 
intention  of  preserving  them.  The  scalp  had  a  cut  on  the 
back  part  of  it,  but  the  scull  was  free  from  any  fracture."* 
The  lower  jawbone  and  the  feet  were  restored  on  the  morning 
of  the  21st ;  and  in  the  afternoon,  these  remains  having  been 
enclosed  in  a  cofiin,  the  burial-service  was  read  over  them, 
and,  with  the  usual  military  honours,  they  were  committed  to 
the  deep.  "  What  our  feelings  were  on  this  occasion,"  says 
Captain  King,  "  I  leave  the  world  to  conceive ;  those  wno 
were  present  know  that  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  express  them.'* 
Part  of  the  bones,  it  may  be  observed,  were  retained  by  the 
natives ;  and  several  of  them,  held  sacred  as  those  of  the  god 
Rono,  were  deposited  in  a  temple  dedicated  to  that  deity. 
They  were  preserved  in  a  basket  of  wicker-work,  covered  with 
red  feathers  ;  religious  homage  was  paid  to  them,  and  they 
were  annually  borne  in  procession  through  the  island  by  the 
votaries  of  Rono,  when  gathering  offerings  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  their  worship.  They  were  thus  preserved  and  hon- 
oured for  a  period  of  forty  years,  until  the  abolition  of  idola- 
try, and  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  faith  in  1819.  At 
that  date  they  disappeared,  having  probably  been  carried  off 
by  some  of  the  priests,  and  the  English  missionaries  have 
hitherto  failed  to  discover  their  destination.! 

By  the  next  day  all  was  ready  for  sea,  and  on  the  22d  of 

*  Voyage  to  the  Paclfle,  vol.  iii.,  p.  80. 

t  "  AH  thone,"  says  Mr.  Ellis,  "  or  whom  inquiry  has  been  made,  have 
uniformly  asserted  that  they  were  formerly  kept  by  the  priests  of 
Rono,  and  worshipped,  but  have  never  given  any  satisfhctory  information 
as  to  where  they  are  now.  Whenever  we  have  aslced  the  Icing,  or  Heva- 
taeva  the  chief  priest,  or  any  of  the  chiefs,  they  have  either  told  us  they 
were  under  the  care  of  those  who  had  themselves  said  they  Itnew  noth- 
ing about  them,  or  that  they  were  now  lost."— Polynesian  Researches, 
vol.  iv.,  p.  137.  Mariner*!*  Tonga  Islands,  vol.  ii.,  p.  73,  The  last-quoted 
author  was  informed  "  thit  the  nativeH  of  Owhyhee  returned  very  few  of 
the  bones  of  Captain  Cook,  but  chiefly  substituted  the  bones  of  some 
otL;er  Englishman  who  was  killed  on  that  melancholy  occasion."  Buc 
this  statement  seems  to  require  corroboration.  "  Not  only,"  says  Mr. 
Ellis, "  were  the  bones  of  Coolt  worshipped,  hut  almost  every  relic  left 
with  them  ;  among  other  things,  a  sledge  from  the  northwest  coast  of 
America,  which  they  called  Opaitauarii,  a  crab  or  shrimp  for  a  chief  to 
rest  on."    Vol.  iv.,  p.  131 


340 


COOK  S   THIRD  VOYAGE. 


February  our  navigators  stood  out  of  the  bay  ;  while  the  isl* 
anders,  collected  in  great  numbers  on  the  shore,  received  their 
last  farewell  with  every  mark  of  affection  and  good-will. 

After  visiting  other  islands  of  the  Sandwich  group,  about  the 
middle  of  March  they  proceeded  once  more  to  the  northward, 
and  came  to  anchor  in  Awatska  Bay  in  Kamtschatka  near  the 
end  of  April.  They  were  most  hospitably  treated  by  the 
commander  of  that  remote  province,  the  celebrated  Major 
Behm,  who  refused  any  remuneration  for  the  liberal  supplies 
with  which  he  furnished  them.  They  did  not  quit  this  friendly 
harbour  till  the  I6th  of  June,  "at  least  a  month  later,"  says 
Bumey,  "  than  should  have  been  desired,  as,  in  a  pursuit  like 
ours,  it  was  our  business  to  be  early  in  tlie  year  to  the  north." 
They  reached  Behring's  Strait  on  the  5th  July,  and  on  the  19th 
attained  the  latitude  of  70°  33'.  Beyond  this  point,  which 
was  five  leagues  short  of  that  which  had  been  attained  the 
previous  season,  they  were  not  able  to  penetrate,  nor  did  they 
succeed  in  advancing  so  far  along  the  coast  of  either  continent. 
On  the  27th  all  farther  attempts  were  abandoned,  and  the 
course  bent  to  the  southward.  "  I  will  not,"  says  Captain 
King,  "  endeavour  to  conceal  the  joy  that  brightenea  the 
countenance  of  every  individual,  as  soon  as  this  resolution 
was  made  known.  We  were  all  heartily  sick  ot  a  navigation 
full  of  danger,  and  in  which  the  utmost  perseverance  had  not 
been  repaid  with  the  smallest  probability  of  success.  We 
therefore  turned  our  faces  towards  home,  afler  an  absence  of 
three  years,  with  a  delight  and  satisfaction  which,  notwith- 
standing the  tedious  voyage  we  had  still  to  make,  and  the  im- 
mense distance  we  had  to  run,  were  as  freely  entertained,  and 
perhaps  as  fully  enjoyed,  as  if  we  had  been  already  in  sight  of 
the  Land's  End."*  Three  days  after  they  repassed  the  strait, 
and  on  the  21st  of  August  came  in  sight  of  the  mountains  of 
Kamtschatka.  Captain  Clerke  had  been  long  and  seriously 
indisposed,  and  all  hopes  of  his  recovery  had  been  for  some 
time  reUnquished  by  every  one  but  himself.  He  died  on  the 
22d,  in  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  and  was  interred  on 
the  north  side  of  the  harbour  of  St.  Fcter  and  St.  Paul,  where 
the  vessels  arrived  two  days  after  his  demise.  His  body  was 
attended  to  the  grave  by  the  officers  and  crews  of  the  ships, 
and  by  the  Russian  garrison;  the  service  was  read  by  the 


Voyage  to  the  Taciflo,  to],  iii.,  p.  360. 


COOK  8  THIRD  VOYAGE. 


341 


e  the  isl- 
ved  their 

about  the 
)rthward, 
k  near  the 
d  by  the 
id  Major  * 
supplies 
is  friendly 
ter,"  says 
rsuit  like 
te  north." 
I  the  19th 
nt,  which 
ained  the 
r  did  they 
:ontinent. 
,  and  the 
a  Captain 
tened  the 
resolution 
lavigation 
e  had  not 

388.      We 

bsence  of 
notwitb- 
id  the  im- 
lined,  and 
in  sight  of 
the  strait, 
untains  of 
seriously 
for  some 
ed  on  the 
terred  on 
kul,  >ivhere 
body  was 
the  ships, 
id  by  the 


priest  of  the  settlement,  amid  the  firing  of  minute-guns ;  and 
the  melaucholy  ceremony  was  concluded  by  the  discharae  of 
three  volleys  from  the  marines.  An  escutcheon  was  placed 
in  the  neighbouring  church,  setting  forth  his  age  and  rank,  and 
an  inscription  of  the  same  purport  was  affixed  to  the  tree  under 
which  he  was  buried.* 

Captain  Gore  now  assumed  the  command  of  the  expedition 
on  board  the  Resolution,  while  Captain  King  removed  to  the 
Discovery.  The  instructions  from  the  Admiralty  directed 
that,  if  the  vessels  failed  to  find  a  passage  into  the  Atlantic, 
they  should  return  to  England  by  such  course  as  seemed  most 
likely  to  advance  geographical  knowledge.  On  this  point 
Captain  Gore  requested  the  opinions  of  his  officers,  who  unan- 
imously thought  that  the  largest  field  for  discovery,  the  sea 
between  Japan  and  Asia,  could  not  be  safely  explored  in  the 
present  condition  of  the  vessels,  and  that  it  was  therefore  ad- 
visable  to  keep  to  the  eastward,  along  the  Kuriles,  and  exam- 
ine the  islands  lying  niearest  the  northern  coast  of  Japan ;  then 
to  survey  the  shores  of  that  country ;  and,  lastly,  to  mdce  the 
coast  of  China  at  as  northerly  a  point  as  possible,  and  run 
along  it  to  Macao.  Of  this  judicious  plan  only  a  small  part 
could  be  carried  into  effect.  The  attempt  to  reach  the  islands 
north  of  Japan  proved  fruitless ;  and  the  ships,  driven  from 
those  latitudes  by  contrary  vrinds,  anchored  at  Macao  eariy  in 
December. 

The  discoverers  here  received  information  of  the  public 
events  which  had  occurred  in  Europe  since  the  commence- 
ment of  their  voyage  ;  and,  in  consequence  of  the  war  which 
had  arisen  between  Great  Britain  and  France,  they  prepared 
their  vessels  for  meeting  the  enemy.  Fortunately,  their  pre- 
cautions were  rendered  unnecessary  by  the  generous  conduct 
of  their  adversaries.  In  March,  1779,  the  Court  of  Versailles 
issued  orders  to  the  captains  of  their  ships,  stating  the  objects 
of  the  expedition,  and  the  advantages  which  would  result 
from  it  to  all  nations,  and  directing  that  Cook  should  be 
treated  as  the  commander  of  a  neutral  or  allied  power.  This 
measure,  so  honourable  to  the  French  character,  was,  we  are 

*  f  n  1787,  the  unfortunate  La  Pernnse  placed  a  brass  plate  on  tb<^  tomb 
of  Captain  Gierke:  and  more  lately  the  RuMian  admiral,  Kruaenstern, 
erected  a  monument  to  his  memory  ;  which,  before  Captain  Beechey's 
visit  in  1827,  had,  for  better  preservation,  been  removed  to  the  governor** 
fardcn.— Voyage  totho  Paciflc,  vol.  ii.,  p.  34S. 

Fr2 


342 


COOKS   THIRD   VOYAOA. 


\>y  the  Marquii  de  Condorcot,  adopted  on  the  adTic* 
ilightened  Turgot.     Benjamin  Franklin,  then  in 


informed  h\ 

of  the  enl 

Paris  as  the  plenipotentiary  of  the  United  States,  addressed  to 

tho  officers  of  the  American  navy  an  earnest  recommendation 

to  spare  the  ships  of  '*  that  most  celebrated  discoverer  Captain 

Cook." 

While  lying  at  Macao,  the  sailors  engaged  in  an  active 
trade  with  the  Chinese  for  the  furs  of  the  sea-otter,  which 
they  had  procured,  without  any  view  to  sale,  at  Cook's  River 
on  the  North  American  coast.  "  One  of  our  seamen,"  says 
King,  "sold  his  stock  for  800  dollars;  and  a  few  prime 
skins,  which  were  clean  and  had  been  well  preserved,  were 
sold  for  ISO  each.  The  whole  amount  of  the  value,  in  specie 
and  goods,  that  was  got  for  the  furs  in  both  ships,  I  am  confi- 
dent, did  not  fall  short  of  2000/.  sterling ;  and  it  was  generally 
supposed,  that  at  least  two  thirds  of  uie  quantity  we  had  on- 

ginally  got  from  the  Americans  were  spoiled  and  worn  out,  or 
ad  been  given  away  and  otherwise  disposed  of  in  Kamt- 
schatka.  When,  in  addition  to  these  facts,  it  is  remembered 
that  the  furs  were  at  first  collected  without  our  having  any 
idea  of  their  real  value ;  that  the  greatest  part  had  been  worn 
by  the  savages  from  whom  wo  purchased  them;  that  they 
were  afterward  preserved  with  little  care,  and  frequently  used 
for  bedclothes  and  other  purposes  during  our  cruise  to  the 
north ;  and  that  probably  we  had  never  got  the  full  value  for 
them  in  China ;  the  advantages  that  mi^t  be  derived  from  a 
voyage  to  that  part  of  the  American  coast,  undertaken  with 
commercial  views,  appear  to  me  of  a  degree  of  importance 
sufficient  to  call  for  tne  attention  of  the  public."*  The  sea- 
men were  astonished  at  the  high  prices  which  they  received 
for  an  article  they  had  so  easily  procured ;  and  their  eagerness 
to  return  to  Cook's  Inlet,  and  by  another  cargo  make  their 
fortunes,  led  them  to  the  brink  of  mutiny.  The  profits  of  the 
barter  produced  a  whimsical  alteration  in  the  appearance  of 
the  crews,  who,  on  their  entry  into  the  river,  were  clad  in  a 
motley  mixture  of  rags,  skins,  and  the  rude  cloth  of  the  sav- 
age countries  they  had  visited — garments  which  they  soon  ex- 
changed for  the  gaudiest  silks  and  cottons  of  China. 

The  ships  todc  their  departure  from  Macao  on  the  13th 
January,  1780,  and  touched  at  tho  Cape  of  Good  Hope  on  the 

*  Voyage  to  ibe  racific,  vol.  ili.,  p.  4S5. 


THE  CHARACTER  OF   COOK. 


843 


13th  of  April.  They  made  the  western  coast  of  Ireland  on 
the  18th  August,  anchored  on  the  32d  at  Stromness  in  Orkney, 
and  arrived  at  the  Nore  on  the  4th  of  October,  after  an  ab- 
sence of  four  years,  two  months,  and  twenty-two  days  Du- 
rinff  this  Ions  period  the  Resolution  lost  onlv  five  men  by 
sickness,  while  no  death  had  taken  place  in  the  Discovery.* 
Another  circumstance  attended  this  voyage,  which,  if  we  con- 
aider  its  duration,  and  the  nature  of  the  service  on  which  they 
were  engaged,  will  appear  scarcely  less  singular,  namely,  that 
the  two  ships  never  lost  sight  of  each  other  for  a  whole  day 
together  except  twice. 


I 


CHAPTER  XII. 
Observationt  on  the  Character  of  Cook. 

Honours  paid  to  him.— Personal  appearance.— Temper  and  Habits.— His 
Children  and  Widow.— Energy  and  Perseverance.— Seir>edacation.— 
His  vast  contributions  to  Geography.— BliUl  in  delineating  and  flxing 
his  Discoveries.- Discovery  of  tne  means  of  preserving  the  Health  or 
Seamen.- Advantages  derived  flrom  his  Voyages.— Progress  oT  CivlU* 
aation  in  Polynesia.— Conclusion. 

The  tidings  of  the  melancholy  fate  of  Cook  excited  a  deep 
and  general  sorrow  throughout  Europe,  and  distinguished 
honours  were  rendered  to  his  name  alike  by  foreigners  and  by 
his  countrymen.    The  Royal  Society  caused  a  medal  to  be 


*  The  bark  which  bore  Magellan  in  his  eventnil  voysge  berame  a  fli> 
vourite  theme  with  the  poets  and  romancers  of  Spain ;  and  the  ship  in 
which  Drake  sailed  round  the  globe  received  equal  hononrB.a  The  des* 
tiny  of  the  vessel  of  a  greater  eircumnavigator  than  either  may  be  seen 
from  the  following  notice :— *<  Cook's  old  ship,  the  Discovery,  wss,  some 
time  since,  removed  IVom  Woolwich,  and  is  now  moored  olfDeptlbrd  as 
a  receiving'Ship/or  eonvictf.**— London  Newspapers,  August  90, 1834. 

a  One  of  the  otet  to  which  '*  (ha  ship  of  (tmotia  Dnao"  wu  iBplied,  b  pointed  oat  in 
the  old  pity  of  **  Eutwaid  Hoe"  (bjr  Chapmu,  Bod  Jomod,  and  Meriton),  when  Sir  F*. 
tronel  rluh  \m  iotroduced.MviDf, "Well  have  oar  provided  eupper  braufht  aboani  Sir 
Francia  Dnke*!  ship,  that  l»th  compaiied  the  world,  where,  with  full  cupe  and  baaqaoth 
we  will  do  KcriAce  for  a  proeperoui  voyafte.  Mjr  mind  f i*ea  mo  that  ioaie  food  ipiril  or 
the  waten  tboald  hannt  the  denrt  riba  of  her,  and  be  anepieioiii  to  all  thai  boMur  bar 
uammj.  art  rl"  -"*•  '"• — f* "-  '*"'-  -tt-  *-  *- '" 


w 


844 


OBIBRVATIONS  ON   THB 


•truck,  containing  on  on«  tide  the  heid  of  their  Uto  tiiocitte, 
with  the  inicription  Jao.  Cook,  OoriANi  Invbitioator  Aork- 
RiiiUR ;  on  the  other,  the  figure  of  Uritannim  holding  a  globe, 
With  the  woids  Nil  Intrntatum  nortri  Liqurrr  ;  and  on 
the  exergue,  Hru.  Soo.  Lond.  80010  ruo,  and  AuafioiiR 
Ororoii  III.  Hii  majoRty  conferred  on  the  widow  of  Cook 
a  penaion  of  two  hundred  pounda  a  year,  and  on  each  of  hii 
,  aons  an  annual  ium  of  twonty-Hve  pounda.  Honourable  ar- 
morial bearinga,  aymbolioal  of  hia  achievemonta,  wore  as- 
aigned  to  hia  family. 

Sir  Hugh  Palliaer,  on  hia  eatate  in  Buckinghamahire,  erect- 
ed a  monument  to  the  memory  of  his  old  and  dear  friend ;  in 
1812,  the  pariahioncra  of  Marten  placed  a  marble  tablet  to  hia 
memory  in  the  church  where  he  waa  boptized  ;  a  bandHome 
obeliak,  ftfly-one  feet  in  height,  waa  built  on  the  hill  of  EaRby, 
near  Kosborry  Topping,  in  1827 ;  and  the  oilicora  of  the 
Blonde  raised  on  the  place  where  the  body  of  the  diatin- 

guished  voyager  waa  burnt  a    cross  of  oak,  ton  feet  in 
eight,  with  tnia  inscription ; — 

Sacred 

to  tHe  memory  of 

Capt.  Jamea  Cook,  R.N., 

who  discovered  theoa  Islanda 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  1778. 

This  humole  monument  Is  erected 

■-., by  liiscounirvmen 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  1835. 

Few  visiters  leave  Owhyhee  without  making  a  pilgrimage  to 
the  spot  where  its  discoverer  met  his  untimely  end,  and  many 
carry  away  pieces  of  the  dark  lava-rock  on  which  he  atooa 
when  he  received  his  death-wound.  The  place  is  marked  by 
the  ruins-of  a  morai,  and  by  some  stunted  cocoa-trees,  in 
which  the  natives  show  perforations,  produced  by  the  balls 
fired  on  the  fatal  morning  of  the  14th  February,  1779. 

In  person.  Cook  was  of  a  robust  frame,  and  upwards  of  six 
feet  in  height.  His  head  was  small,  and  his  face  animated 
and  expressive,  though  his  prominent  eyebrows  imparted  to  U 
an  appearance  of  austerity.  His  eyes,  of  a  brown  colour, 
though  not  largo,  were  quick  and  piercing:  his  hair,  which 
was  of  a  dark-brown  hue,  he  wore  tied  behind,  afler  the 
fashion  of  the  day.    His  constitution  waa  strong,  and  capa- 


CHARACTIR  OF  COOK. 


345 


ble  of  lutUining  great  labour  :  ho  wm  exoeodingly  tomper- 
ate,  and  his  atomach  bore  without  diflkulty  the  cMraeat  vi- 
ands. In  hie  addresa  he  was  unaffected  and  retiring,  even  to 
bashfulness  :  his  conversation  was  modest,  lively,  and  agree- 
able ;  although  at  times  he  appeared  thoughtful,  wrapped  op 
in  his  own  pursuits,  and  apparently  under  a  pressure  of  men- 
tal fatigue  when  called  on  to  speak  upon  any  other.  Like 
Columbus,  he  seems  to  have  been  somewhat  passionate  ;  vet 
of  him,  as  of  the  dicoverer  of  America,  it  may  be  said,  that 
the  quickness  of  his  temper  was  counteracted  by  the  benevo- 
lence and  generosity  of  his  heart.  The  calumny  that  his 
disposition  was  harsh,  gloomy,  and  morose,  haa  been  already 
disproved.  '*  He  was  beloved  by  his  people,'*  says  Mr.  Sam- 
well,  *'  who  looked  up  to  him  as  to  a  fattier,  ana  obegred  his 
commands  with  alacrity ;  the  confidence  we  placed  in  him 
was  unremitting;  our  admiration  of  his  great  talents  un- 
bounded ;  our  esteem  for  his  good  qualities  affectionate  and 
sincere." 

Two  representations  of  his  features  have  been  preserved  ; 
one  by  Hodges,  the  artist  who  accompanied  him  in  his  second 
voyage ;  another,  which  was  executed  by  Dance,  is  now  in 
Greenwich  Hospital.  It  was  at  the  pressing  request  of  Sir 
Joseph  Banks  that  Cook  sat  for  this*  picture,  on  the  eve  of  his 
departure  to  explore  the  southern  hemisphere,  when  all  his 
thoughts  were  devoted  to  his  arduous  undertaking ;  and  hie 
active  mind  impatiently  regretted  every  hour  that  oe  was  ab- 
sent from  his  duties.  These  circumstances  mav  account  for 
the  deep  thoughtfulness  and  the  stem  expression  visible  in 
this  delineation  of  his  countenance ;  for,  while  the  painter  was 
busy  with  his  features,  doubtless  his  mind  was  "  occupied  in 
great  waters.*'* 

Few  of  his  days  were  passed  in  the  quiet  scenes  of  pri- 
vate life ;  but  though  his  fortunes  called  him  too  often  from 
the  society  of  his  family,  not  many  men  present  a  more  amw 
able  character  as  a  husband  and  a  father.  His  hours  were 
divided  between  the  instruction  and  amusement  of  his  chil- 
dren, and  the  study  of  his  favourite  sciences — ^navigation,  as- 

*  Memoir  of  Cook  In  Gallery  of  Greenwich  Hospital.  "  His  widow,** 
says  Mr.  Looker,  "  has  more  than  once  expressed  her  regret  that  a  por> 
trait.  In  all  other  respects  lo  perttet,  sboald  convey  this  erroneons  ex* 
presEtlon  to  the  eye  of  a  stranger." 


f\. 


346 


OBSBRVATIONB  ON  THE 


1 


& 


tronomy,  and  mathematics.  Ho  was  fond  of  drawing ;  but 
did  not  take  much  delight  in  music  or  poetry,  or  in  any  of  the 
pursuits  of  rural  life. 

Captain  Cook  had  six  children,  of  whom  three  died  in  infancy. 
Nathaniel,  when  sixteen  years  old,  was  lost  in  1780  with  Com- 
modore Walsingham,  in  the  Thunderer ;  Hush,  who  was  ed- 
ucated at  Cambridge  for  the  church,  died  m  1793,  in  his 
seventeenth  year.  James,  who,  at  the  age  of  thirty-one,  was 
drowned  in  1794,  the  only  son  who  attained  to  manhood, 
displayed  much  of  his  fatner*s  intrepidity.  When  pushing 
off  from  Poole  to  join  the  Spitfire  sloop  of  war,  of  wnich  he 
was  the  commander,  he  was  advised  to  wait  till  the  storm 
which  was  raging  should  abate : — "  It  is  blowing  hard,'*  he 
replied,  "  but  my  boat  is  well  manned,  and  has  weathered  a 
stronger  gale ;  we  shall  make  the  ship  very  well,  and  I  am 
anxious  to  be  on  board."  He  perished  in  the  attempt,  along 
with  the  whole  of  his  crew. 

The  widow  of  the  great  voyager  survived  him  for  more 
than  half  a  century.     To  the  last  she  cherished  the  most  de- 
voted affection  for  his  memory ;  and  even  after  the  lapse  of  so 
many  years,  could  not  speak  of  his  fate  without  emotion. 
Such  was  her  sensibility,  that  on  receivinjp;  tidings  of  the 
death  of  her  son  James,  in  the  vain  hope  of  banishing  from 
her  mind  the  recollection  of  her  losses,  she  committed  to  the 
flames  almost  all  the  letters  she  had  received  from  his  father. 
For  a  long  period  she  resided  at  Clapham,  where  her  unaf- 
fected goodness  and  generosity  secured  universal  love  and 
respect.     Her  latter  years  passed  away  in  intercourse  with 
her  friends,  and  in  the  discharge  of  those  offices  of  charity 
and  kindness  jn  which  her  benevolent  mind  delighted.    The 
afflicting  loss  of  her  husband  and  children,  though  borne  with 
submissive  resignation,  was  never  effaced  from  ner  memory ; 
and  we  are  informed  that  there  were  certain  melancholy  anni- 
versaries which,  to  the  end  of  her  days,  she  devoted  to  seclu- 
sion and  pious  observance.     She  died  on  the  13th  May,  1S3J, 
in  the  ninety-fourth  year  of  her  age.     Her  body  was  deposited 
in  a  vault  in  the  church  of  St.  Andrew  the  Great,  at  Cam- 
bridge, where  her  sons  James  and  Hugh  were  interred.     To 
the  parish  in  which  she  was  buried  she  assigned  1000/.,  under 
the  conditions,  that,  from  the  interest  of  that  sum,  the  mon- 
ument she  had  erected  to  the  memory  of  her  family  shall  be 


0 


CHARACTER  07  COOK. 


347 


ng;  but 
y  of  tho 

infancy, 
th  Corn- 
was  ed- 
in  his 
me,  was 
lanhood, 
pushing 
mich  he 
ic  storm 
ard,"  he 
thered  a 
id  I  am 
)t,  along 

or  more 
most  de- 
pse  of  so 
emotion. 
[s  of  the 
ing  from 
ed  to  the 
is  father, 
ler  unaf- 
love  and 
irse  with 
)f  charity 
3d.    The 
ame  with 
memory ; 
loly  anni- 
to  seclu- 
ay,  lg3J, 
deposited 
at  Cam- 
red.     To 
0/.,  under 
the  mon- 
r  shall  be 


kept  in  perfect  repair ;  that  the  parochial  clerg^onan  shall  re« 
ceive  a  small  annual  remuneration  for  his  attention  to  the  due 
discharge  o(  the  trust ;  and  that  the  remainder  shall  be  equal- 
ly  divided  yearly,  on  St.  Thomas's  Diy,  among  five  poor  and 
aged  women  rr^si'ling  in  the  ipt-.^iih,  but  deriving  no  reHef 
therefrom.  B«i<ii(^e&  m  ).'iy  Iv^^acics  to  her  relatives  and  ser- 
vantr;,  she  left  in  *\\i,  pot:.r  cf  Clapham  760/.,  and  to  the 
Schools  f  >r  tiie  iniUgertt  Blind  and  the  Royal  Maternity 
Charity  abcut  IO(M>/.  The  Copley  Modal  awarded  to  bet 
husband,  and  tine  of  the  gt;ld  medair,  ntruck  in  his  honour  by 
the  Rcy&l  Soirioty,  sho  cuquenthod  *jo  the  British  Museum.* 
The  gfbiit  cnarai;ifcri8tj<.;s  of  (^ook  s  mind  v^rf  energy  and 
perseve:iu>cc  Tly  thi  aid  ct  u^  jjc  pioperMor.,  and  stimulated 
by  p,^  tionoorahle  sinbujon,  hi  war  %\\e,  ffrMi  the  bustle  and 
toil  of  activa  service,  not  only  Ut  ii«<)ni,  o  n  kiio«vle'lge  of  hia 
profession  rarely  e»;.ia)^clr  not  io  Ruppiy  the  dfAciencies  of  a 
very  imperfect  eduj^tron,  and  :i.itn:  himseU  iu  tiP,  eminent 
station  Airouff  w.p,:\  oi  literuture  and  9cinnc»?.  /.>t(iibehad 
reached  his  <hiriy-6rf>t  year,  v/ith  no  umsX(*/ico  fvoir  teachers^ 
he  mastered,  m  the  few  leisure  houra  which  fi<»  situation  af- 
forded, tho  study  of  math/^niftti'je  and  r.;  tronomy.  Under 
similar  nirriir'st&ncos,  ho  attained  grt ai;  profici&ncy  in  draw- 
ing. The  liteiftry  talent  ncxi!  inibruiridon  displayed  in  the 
narratives  of  his  second  titi^  third  circunimwigations  will  ever 
excite  astonishment  in  ihot»e  whc'  refiecl  on  the  few  oppor- 
tunities for  tho  cuHivatiou  of  Ic^tvcrs  v/hich  their  author  en- 


*  OenUcn<ftr/9  Magazine,  July,  1835.~Naatieal  Magtzine,  Jaly,  1839, 
andFeiruary.iciS''.  C(x>'^'«  mother  died  in  1765,  aged  03;  "the  lomb* 
sione  whic^.  leaonln  'nee  dtetif,  and  that  of  two  sons  and  three  daugb* 
tem.  mot  i,C  whom  died  iii  inlhncy,  ie  underRtood  to  huve  been  carved  by 
lie.'.  amom&,  «vho  aiiout  ten  years  after  removed  fVom  Ayton  to  Red- 
c'di  to  isperd  tho  evening  of  his  days  with  his  daughter  Margaret,  the 
«..'iib  ofkr.  James  Fleck,  a  respectable  (Isherman  and  shoplieeper.  .  . 
The  fhther  or  Cook  outlived  his  son  only  a  Tew  weeks :  and  never  heard 
of  his  untimely  end.  He  was  interred  at  Marske,  April  1, 1779,  in  the 
eighty*flfth  year  of  his  age.  His  son-in-law  died  a  Tew  years  ago.  The 
captain's  sister  bad  three  sons,  all  master  mariners,  and  four  daughters; 
her  descendants  are  numerous.  One  only  of  Cook's  nephews  is  living ; 
but  three  of  his  nieces  yet  survive."— Life  and  Voyages  of  Cook,  by  toe 
Rev.  George  Young  (Lond.,  1836),  p.  16, 456.  From  the  same  source  we 
learn  that  the  elder  Cook  is  said  to  have  been  bom  at  Bdnam,  on  the 
Tweed.  About  the  timf  that  his  son  entered  the  nsvy  he  became  a  mSf 
son,  and  a  house  which  be  built  for  bis  own  residence  •*  Ayix^n  Is  stiU 
In  lixistence.  Here  he  was  visited  by  his  son  in  the  l)x\ef  iuit^r  al  be- 
tween bis  second  and  third  voyages. 


I 


848 


OBSERVATIONS   ON   THE 


\) 


joyed.  His  mental  activity  was  conspicuous  throughout  all 
his  voyages.  "No  incidental  temptation,"  says  Captain 
King,  **  could  detain  him  for  a  moment ;  even  those  intervals 
of  recreation  which  sometimes  unavoidably  occurred,  and 
were  looked  for  by  us  with  a  longing,  that  persons  who  hav« 
experienced  the  fatigues  of  service  will  readily  excuse,  wero 
submitted  to  by  him  with  impatience."  The  immoveable  con- 
stancy with  which  he  pursued  his  objects  was  equally  re« 
markable ;  and  there  are  perhaps  few  instances  of  perseverance 
on  record  more  worthy  of  note  than  his  survey  of  the  coast  of 
New  Holland,  carried  on  by  him  amid  continual  dangers  ;  or  his 
search  for  a  southern  continent,  in  which  he  persisted  in  spite 
of  every  privation,  concealing  from  all  a  dangerous  illness  that 
brought  him  to  the  brink  of  the  grave.  His  courage  and  res- 
olution were  invincible,  yet  unaccompanied  with  temerity ; 
his  self-possession  never  failed  ;  and  we  are  told,  that,  "  in 
the  most  perilous  situations,  when  he  had  given  the  proper 
directions  conceminff  what  was  to  be  done  while  he  went  to 
rest,  he  could  sleep  during  the  hours  he  had  allotted  to  him* 
self  with  perfect  composure  and  soundness."  His  mind  was 
equally  ready  and  copious,  in  resources  ;  and  his  designs 
were  marked  by  a  boldness  and  originality  which  evinced  a 
consciousness  of  great  powers.  These  characteristics  wero 
demonstrated  in  the  very  outset  of  his  first  expedition,  when, 
differing  from  the  opinions  of  every  one,  he  selected  his  ves* 
sel  upon  principles  which  the  result  most  amply  vindicated. 

It  may  be  justly  said,  that  no  other  navigator  extendeu  the 
bounds  of  greographical  knowledge  so  widely  as  he  did.  Tho 
great  question  of  a  southern  continent,  which  had  been  agi- 
tated ror  morQ  than  two  centuries,  he  conmletely  set  at  rest. 
He  first  made  known  the  eastern  cbast  of  New  Holland,  more 
than  2000  miles  in  extent,  and  presenting  perils  of  the  most 
formidable  nature.  He  ascertained  the  nortnem  limit  of  Aus- 
tralia, and  restored  to  Europeans  the  knowledge  of  the  long- 
lost  Strait  of  Torres.  He  dissipated  the  belief  that  New 
Zealand  was  a  part  of  the  Terra  Australia  Incognita,  brought 
to  light  its  eastern  boundary  previously  unknown,  and  circum- 
naviffated  its  shores.  He  completed  the  labours  of  Quiros 
and  later  voyagers  in  the  Archipelago  of  the  New  Hebrides, 
and  first  delineated  an  accurate  chart  of  their  coasts.  He 
discovered  New  Caledonia,  with  cue  exception  the  largest 
island  in  the  Austral  Ocean.    He  investigated  the  deptlw  o* 


ing 


'M.: 


CHARACTER   OF  COOK. 


349 


the  Southern  Atlantic,  made  us  acquainted  with  Sandwich 
Land,  fixed  the  position  of  Kerguelen's  Island,  visited  the 
almost-forffotten  Isla  Grande  of  La  Roche,  and  surveyed  the 
southern  shores  of  Tierra  del  Fuego  with  a  fidelity  at  that 
time  unprecedented.  During  this  navigation,  he  twice  crossed 
the  antarctic  circle,  and  attained  a  higher  latitude  than  had 
been  reached  by  any  former  voyager.  He  explored  the  Tonga 
Archipelago  and  that  of  Las  Marquesas,  neither  of  which  had 
been  visited  since  the  days  of  Tasmaii  and  Mendana,  and 
added  greatly  to  our  knowledge  of  their  situation  and  produc- 
tions, their  inhabitants,  manners,  and  customs.  Easter,  or 
Edward  Davis's  Island,  which  had  been  sought  in  vain  by 
Byron,  Wallis,  Carteret,  and  Bougainville,  did  not  elude  his 
researches.  He  greatly  increased  our  acquaintance  with  the 
Low,  or  Coral  Archipelago,  and  completed  the  discovery  of 
the  Society  Islands.  In  other  parts  of  the  South  Sea  he 
brought  to  light  the  islands  of  Norfolk,  Botany,  Pines,  Pal- 
merston.  Savage,  Hervey,  Mangeea,  Wateeoo,  Otakootaia, 
Turtle,  Toobouai,  and  Christmas.  Along  the  northwest 
coast  of  America  he  effected  more  in  one  season  than  the 
Spaniards  had  accomplished  in  two  centuries.  Besides  rec- 
tifying many  mistakes  of  former  explorers,  he  ascertained  the 
breadth  of  the  strait  which  separates  Asia  from  the  New 
World — a  point  which  Behring  had  left  unsettled.  Passing 
the  arctic,  as  he  had  crossed  the  antarctic  circle,  he  penetrated 
farther  than  any  preceding  navigator ;  and  as  more  than  half 
a  century  expired  without  a  nearer  approach  being  made  to 
the  Southern  Pole  than  he  had  achieved,  a  like  period  elapsed 
before  our  knowledge  of  the  American  coast  was  extended 
beyond  the  point  to  which  he  attained.  Among  the  latest  and 
greatest  of  his  discoveries  were  the  Sandwich  Islands,  which, 
m  the  sentence  wherewith  his  journal  abruptly  terminates,  he 
truly  characterizes  as  "  though  the  last,  in  many  respects  the 
most  important  that  has  hitherto  been  made  by  Europeans 
throughout  the  extent  of  ^he  Pacific  Ocean."* 

But  it  would  be  injustice  to  him  if  we  were  to  estimate  his 
merits  only  by  the  extent,  number,  or  importance  of  the  coun- 
tries which  he  added  to  the  map  of  the  world.  It  has  been 
remarked  by  a  distinguished  circumnavigator  of  a  neighbour- 
ing nation,  tlutt  his  labours  created  a  new  era  in  geographical 

*  Voyage  to  the  Paciflo,  vol.  U.,  p.  948. 


350 


OBSERVATIONS   ON   THE 


science.*  Unlike  his  precursors,  he  was  not  content  with 
being  able  to  announce  the  existence  of  new  lands,  but  de- 
lineated the  bearing  and  figure  of  their  coasts,  and  fixed  their 
position  with  an  exactness  which  can  hardly  be  surpassed 
even  by  means  of  the  improved  instruments  of  our  own  days. 
While  great  errors  have  been  detected  m  the  longitudes  of 
Byron  and  his  successors,  and  still  greater  in  those  of  the 
earlier  voyagers,  every  succeeding  navigator  has  borne  testi- 
mony to  the  accuracy  of  Coolers  determinations.  So  late  as 
1816,  his  chart  of  the  southern  coast  of  Tierra  del  Fucgo  was 
characterized  by  Admiral  Bumey  as  the  best  guide  which  the 
seaman  possessed  to  that  region.  Of  a  more  juvenile  per- 
formance, his  map  of  the  shores  of  Newfoundland,  the  late 
surveyor  of  the  island.  Captain  Bullock,  speaks  in  terms  of 
warm  commendation.  Praise  equally  high  has  been  awarded 
to  his  representation  of  the  coast  of  New  Zealand  by  M. 
Crozet,  the  companion  of  the  unfortunate  Marion.  *^As 
soon,"  s^s  he,  ''  as  I  had  get  hold  of  the  voyage  of  the 
English,  I  compared  with  care  the  chart  which  I  had  drawn 
with  that  taken  by  Captain  Cook  and  his  officers.  I  found  it 
to  possess  an  exactness  and  minuteness  which  astonished  me 
beyond  all  expression.  I  doubt  whether  our  own  coasts  of 
France  have  been  delineated  with  more  precision."  La  Pe- 
rouse  never  mentions  the  name  of  the  great  seaman  without 
expressing  warm  admiration  of  his  accuracy  ;  and  M.  D'Ur- 
ville  assigns  him  the  title  of  "  fondatcur  de  la  veritable  g^o- 
graphie  dans  I'Oc^an-Pacifique :  ceux,"  he  adds,  "  qui  sent 
venus  aprds  lui  sur  les  mSmes  licux,  n^ontpu  pretendre  qu'au 
m^rite  d'avoir  plus  ou  moins  perfectionne  ses  travaux."t 
Testimony  of^no  less  weight  has  been  borne  to  the  correctness 
of  his  delineations  of  people,  manners,  and  countries.  "  A 
residence  of  eight  years  in  the  Society  and  Sandwich  Islands,'* 
says  Mr.  Ellis,  "  has  afforded  me  an  opportunity  of  becoming 
familiar  with  many  of  the  scenes  and  usages  described  in  his 
voyases,  and  I  have  often  been  struck  with  the  fidelity  with 
which  they  are  uniformly  portrayed.  In  the  inferences  he 
draws,  and  the  reasons  he  assigns,  he  is  sometimes  mistaken ; 
but  in  the  description  of  what  he  saw  and  heard  there  is 

*  M.  D'Unrille,  Voyafe  autour  du  Monde;  tsme  I.,  p.  zU. 
t  Voyage  autour  du  Monde,  tome  i.,  p.  xiii. 


n 


CHARACTER   OF  COOK. 


351 


throughout  a  degree  of  accuracy,  seldom  if  ever  exceeded  in 
accounts  equally  minute  and  extended."* 

Great  as  are  the  contributions  which  Cook  made  to  geo- 
^phical  science,  they  are  perhaps  surpassed  in  utility  and 
importance  by  his  discoyery  of  the  art  of  preserving  the  health 
of  seamen  in  long  expeditions.  The  reader  who  has  perused 
the  details  which  have  been  given  of  the  sufferings  of  Anson^s 
expedition,  will  not  be  at  a  loss  to  appreciate  what  praise  is 
due  to  him  who  removed  the  scurvy  from  the  list  of  diseases 
incident  to  a  nautical  life,  and  first  showed  that  a  voyage  of 
three  years'  duration  might  be  performed  with  the  loss  of  but 
one  man  by  sickness.  To  use  the  words  with  which  he  con- 
cludes the  narrative  of  his  second  circumnavigation — "  What- 
ever may  be  the  public  judgment  about  other  matters,  it  is 
with  real  satisfaction,  and  without  claiming  any  merit  but  that 
of  attention  to  my  duty,  that  I  can  conclude  this  account  with 
an  observation  which  facts  enable  me  to  make,  that  our  hav- 
ing discovered  the  possibility  of  preserving  health  among  a 
numerous  ship's  company  for  such  a  length  of  time,  in  such 
varieties  of  climate,  and  amid  such  continued  hardships  and 
fatigues,  will  make  this  voyage  remarkable  in  the  opinion  of 
every  benevolent  person,  when  the  disputes  about  a  southern 
contment  shall  have  ceased  to  engage  the  attention  and  to 
divide  the  judgment  of  philosophers."!  Indeed,  had  he  made 
no  other  discovery  but  this,  he  would  be  justly  entitled  to  the 
praise  and  gratitude  of  mankind. 

There  stul  remains  one  important  view  in  which  his  voyages 
must  be  regarded,  namely,  rs  having  added  to  the  power  and 
riches  of  his  country,  by  laying  open  new  fields  of  commercial 
enterprise,  disclosing  sources  of  wealth  previously  unknown, 
and  extending  the  limits  of  her  terrttorial  possessions.  The 
shores  of  New  South  Wales,  which  he  was  the  first  to  explore, 
have  become  the  seat  of  a  vast  and  flourishing  colony,  whose 
wealth  and  resources  are  daily  increasing.     The  ports  of  New 


*  Polynesian  Researches,  vol.  iv.,  p.  3.  See  also  Mariner's  Tonga 
Islands,  vol.  i.,  p.  xv.  A  later  voyager,  Captain  Waldegrave,  who  visited 
the  Friendly  Archipelago  in  1830,  writes,  "In our  totir  through  these 
islands  we  had  great  reason  to  admire  the  general  accuracy  of  Captain 
Cook ;  his  description  of  the  houses,  fences,  manners  of  the  Hapai  Islands, 
is  correct  to  the  preseatday."— Joura.  of  the  Roy.  Geog.  Soc.,  vol.  iii.,  p. 
186. 

t  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  vol.  ii.,  p.  S93. 


852 


OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE 


Zealand  are  frequented  by  British  shipping ;  settlements  of 
our  countr^en  have  been  formed  on  its  bays ;  and  its  vege- 
table treai|Hi|S — ^its  trees  and  flax — have  been  rendered  avail- 
able to  thewants  of  .our  navy.  His  discoveries  on  the  north- 
e'  <  coast  of  America  gave  rise  to  a  valuable  and  extensive 
trade  in  furs.  The  Sandwich  Islands  have  become  so  great 
a  mart  of  traffic,  that  it  has  been  found  necessary  to  estabUsh 
an  English  consulate  at  their  capital.  The  Southern  Pacific 
is  everywhere  the  resort  of  whaling-vessels  engaged  in  a  lu- 
crative fishery,  and  deriving  their  supplies  of  seanstorcs  from 
those  fertile  islands,  the  various  ports  and  harbours  of  which 
he  was  the  u.Jt  to  make  known.*  Even  the  barren  rocks  of 
New  South  Georgia,  which  he  visited  in  his  second  voyage, 
have  been  far  from  unprofitable  ;  it  is  believed  that,  besides 
the  skins  of  the  fur-seal,  they  have  yielded  no  less  than 
S0,000  tons  of  the  sea-elephant  oil  for  the  London  market. 
Kerguelen's,  or  Desolation  Island,  has  proved  a^ scarcely  less 
fruitful  source  of  advantage  ;  and  it  is  calculated  ''  that,  du- 
ring the  time  these  two  islands  have  been  resorted  to  for  the 
purpose  of  trade,  more  than  2000  tons  of  shipping,  and  from 
two  to  three  hundred  seamen,  have  been  employed  annually 
in  this  traffic"! 

While  so  many  advantages  have  accrued  to  the  civilized 
world  from  the  voyages  of  the  illustrious  navigator  whose  his- 
tory has  just  been  narrated,  the  countries  and  nations  which 
he  made  known  have  likewise  reaped  a  rich  harvest  of  benefit ; 
and  it  is  consolatory  to  reflect,  that  the  fears  which  troubled  his 
benevolent  mind  lest  the  islanders  of  the  Austral  Ocean  might 
have  "  just  cause  to  lament  that  our  ships  had  ever  found  them 
out,"  have  not^been  realized.  The  labours  of  the  good  and 
pious  men  who  sailed  in  the  ship  Duff  to  spread  the  glad 
tidings  of  salvation  among  "  '«.he  isles  of  the  sea,"  though  long 
unsuccessful,  have  at  length  been  crowned  with  a  prosperous 
issue.  Throughout  the  principal  groups  of  the  Pacific  idolatry 
has  been  overthrown,  and  with  it  the  darker  crimes  and  more 
brutal  vices  of  the  natives.    Those  desolating  wars,  in  which 


*  "  Le  nombre  des  navires  Anglais  et  Amiricalns,  principalement  de 
balelniers,  qui  abordent  k  Tahiti,  est  de  200  dt  250,  terme  mnyen  en  six 
nu^s.  On  ait  que  la  population  blanchv  y  est  de  200  A  300  peraonnes,  et 
augment*  chaque  Jour."— Singapore  Chronicle,  quoted  in  Nouvelles  An* 
nales  des  Voyages (1833),  tome  xxx.,  p.  111. 

t  Weddel's  Voyage  towards  the  South  Pole,  p.  53, 54. 


CHARACTER   OF  COOK. 


353 


mercy  was  altogether  unknown,  and  neither  sex  nor  age  was 
a  protection  from  the  exterminating  fury  of  the  victors,  have 
ceased.  The  barbarous  sacrifices  of  human  beings,  and  the 
still  more  sanguinary  usa^e  of  infanticide,  which  prevailed  to 
an  extent  almost  incredible,  have  been  abolished.  Peace, 
order,  and  tranquillity  are  established  ;  not  a  few  of  the  cus- 
toms and  comforts  of  Europe  introduced ;  schools  and  churches 
erected ;  and  a  knowledge  of  letters  extensively  diffused.  A 
printing-press  has  been  established  in  the  Society  Islands, 
from  which  a  translation  of  the  New  Testament  into  the 
native  language,  a  number  of  initiatory  treatises,  and  a  code 
of  laws  ratified  by  the  nation,  have  already  issued.  Many  of 
the  inhabitants  harve  made  so  great  progress  in  learning,  that 
they  have  been  able  to  take  on  themselves  the  character  of 
missionaries,  and  go  forth  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  their  be- 
nighted brethren  in  less  favoured  places.  Others  have  acquired 
the  arts  of  the  smith,  the  mason,  the  weaver,  the  cotton-spin- 
ner, the  turner,  the  agriculturist,  and  the  carpenter.  In  the 
trade  last  mentioned  they  have  made  such  proficiency  as  to 
build  after  the  English  style  vessels  of  seventy  tons  burden, 
for  commercial  enterprises  to  different  parts  of  Polynesia. 

The  people  of  the  Sandwich  Archipelago  have  advanced 
still  farther  in  civilization.  The  Bay  of  Honororu,  in  the  Isl- 
and of  Woahoo,  almost  resembles  a  European  harbour.  Fifty 
foreign  vessels  have  been  seen  in  it  at  one  time.  In  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  year  1833  it  was  resorted  to  by  more  than 
26,000  tons  of  shipping,  employing  upwards  of  2000  seamen, 
and  bearing  the  flags  of  England,  Prussia,  Spain,  America, 
and  Otaheite.*  It  is  defended  by  a  fortress  mounting  forty 
guns,  over  which,  and  from  the  masts  of  the  native  barks,  is 
suspended  the  national  ensign,t  which  has  already  been  seen 
in  the  ports  of  China,  the  Philippines,  America,  Kamtschatka, 
the  New  Hebrides,  and  Australia.  The  town  is  regularly 
laid  out  in  squares,  the  streets  are  carefully  fenced,  ana  num- 
bers.of  *the  houses  are  neatly  built  of  wood.  It  possesses  a 
regidar  police,  contains  two  hotels,  the  same  number  of  bil- 

*  Canton  Register,  6th  May,  1834,  quoted  in  the  Asiatic  Journal  (March, 
1835%  vol.  xvi.,  p.  191. 

t  '*  Le  pavUlon  Sandwichien,  se  composoit  d'un  yacht  Anglais,  sur  nn 
fond  rayd  horizontalement  de  neuf  bandes  alternatives,  blnnehes,  ranges 
et  bleues ;  le  blanc  6toit  plac6  le  plus  baut  et  le  yacht  A  Tangle  sup^rieur, 
prds  la  ralingue."— Freycinet,  Voyage  autour  do  Monde,  t(Hneil.,p.  (01. 

G  0  2 


354 


OBSERVATIONS   ON   TIU! 


f      » 


liard-rooms,  and  nearly  a  dozen  taverns,  bearine  such  inscripe 
tions  aa  "  Aa'  Ordinary  at  One  o'Clock,'*  "  The  Britannia," 
«nd  "  The  Jolly  Tar."  It  is  the  residence  of  a  British  and  of 
an  American  consul,  and  of  several  respectable  merchants  of 
the  United  States.*  Education  and  a  knowledge  of  religion 
4  are  widely  spread  throughout  the  islands ;  nine  hundred  sem- 

<         inaries,  conaucted  by  native  teachers,  are   established,  and 
fifty  thousand  children  receive  instruction  in  reading.f    Within 
a  little  distance  of  the  very  spot  where  Cook  was  killed  a 
\  school  has  been  opened,  and  a  building  erected  for  the  wor- 
ship of  the  true  God. 

The  fortune  of  some  others  of  the  countries  explored  by 

him  has  hitherto  been  less  aukpicious ;  but  in  most  of  them 

.  missions  are  already  planted  with  every  prospect  of  success, 

and  we  may  confidently  look  forv/ard  to  the  day  when  teachers 

.    ^         of  Christianity  shall  be  established  in  all. 

It  may  be  said,  indeed,  that  in  almost  every  quarter  of  Po- 
lynesia  the  seeds  of  civilization  are  now  sown,  and  it  is  a 

£Iant  (as  has  been  remarked)  which  seldom  withers  or  decays, 
owevcr  slowly  it  may  advance  in  growth.  The  hopes,  there- 
fore, can  hardly  be  considered  visionary  which  have  been  ex- 
pressed by  a  late  distinguished  voyager,  who,  in  sailing  along 
the  shores  of  New  Zealand,  anticipated  the  period  when  that 
magnificent  country  shall  become  the  Great  Britain  of  the 
Southern  Hemisphere,  when  its  now  solitary  plains  shall  be 
covered  with  large  and  populous  cities,  and  the  bays  which 
axe  at  present  firequented  but  by  the  frail  canoe  of  the  wan- 
dering savage,  shall  be  thronged  with  the  commercial  navies  of 
empires  situated  at  the  opposite  ends  of  the  carth.^  When 
that  day  shall  arrive,  and  the  fertile  islands  of  the  Pacific  be- 
come toe  seat^of  great  and  flourishing  states,  we  may  confi- 
dently predict,  that  Cook  will  be  revered,  not  with  the  blind 
adoration  (^ered  to  the  fancied  Rono,  but  with  the  rational 
respect  and  afifection  due  by  an  enlightened  people  to  him  who 
was  the  harbinger  of  their  civUization ;  and  that  among  the 

*  "  Dana  cette  ville  naissante,  fondle  dans  un  pays  dont  les  liabitans, 
l!t  y  a  dix  ans,  ^taHent  tout-a-fiiit  aauvages,  on  trouve  AijA  presqua  tootes 
las  commodit^B  des  villea  d*Europe  "— Observations  sur  lea  Ilabiiana  das 
mas  Sandwich,  par  M.  P.  E.  Botia.— Nouvelles  Annalas  das  VQ;?«e8, 
toina  xxii.,  p.  135. 

t  Quarterly  Journal  orEducation,  vol.  iii.,  p.  376. 

i  lyVtvlUa,  Voyafa  aiutbur  du  Moade,  tome  ii.,  p.  1 14, 119. 


h  inscripp 
ritannia," 
ish  and  of 
rchants  of 
f  religion 
Ired  sem- 
ihed,  and 
Within 
}  killed  a 
the  wor- 

)lored  by 
of  them 
success^ 
teachers 

it  of  Po- 
i  it  is  a 
r  decayS} 
38,  there- 
been  ex- 
ng  along 
hen  that 
n  of  the 
shall  be 
rs  which 
ihe  wan- 
fxavies  of 
When 
cific  be* 
ly  confi- 
he  blind 
rational 
urn  who 
ong  the 


CHARACTER   OF   COOK. 


355 


great  and  good  men,  commemorated  in  their  annals  as  national 
benefactors,  none  will  be  more  highly  extolled  than  the  illus- 
trious navigator  who,  surmounting  the  dangers  and  difficulties 
of  unknown  seas,  laid  open  the  path  by  which  the  benefits  of 
knowledge  and  the  blessings  of  religion  were  wafted  to  their 
distant  shores. 


>.r' 


habitans, 

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)iv«nsdM 


%.■< 


^  »-"'|-.j.'&im>.'    **"-'■ 


■f^ 


INDEX. 


\ 


A. 

Alkxander  VI.,  Pope,  Bull  of  Partition  by,  22, 24. 
Anson,  Commodore,  circumnayigation  of,  127-140 ;  equipment 
of  the  squadron,  128;  enters  Strait  Le  Maire,  129;  stormy 

Sassage  round  Cape  Horn,  130, 131  ;  arrival  at  Juan  Fernan- 
ez,  131;  numbers  lost  by  the  scurvy,  132;  cruise  off  the 
American  coast,  133 ;  burning  of  Payta,  ib. ;  cruise  for  the 
Manilla  galleon,  135;  sails  for  China,  ib. ;  sufferings  from  the 
scurvy,  136 ;  the  Gloucester  burnt,  ib. ;  arrival  atTinian,  137; 
second  cruise  for  the  Manilla  galleon,  138;  she  is  met  and 
captured,  ib. ;  return  to  England,  139 ;  narratives  of  the  voy- 
age, 128,  note. 

Aotourou,  or  Mayoa,  a  native  of  Otaheite,  carried  to  Paris  by 
Bougainville,  187,  188,  193,  194,  226,  284. 

Arsacides,  Land  of,  192,  196,  198.    (See  Solomon  Islands.) 

Atlantic  Ocean,  opinions  of  the  ancients  as  to  the,  17 ;  of  the 
Arabs,  18 ;  of  the  middle  ages.  21 ;  Southern  Atlantic  explored 
by  Cook,  250-254 ;  highest  latitude  attained  by  him,  294 ;  by 
Weddel,  ib.,  note. 

Australia  del  Espiritu  Santo,  83,  85,  88, 189, 190,  265,  273-275. 

"'  (See  New  Hebrides.) 

B. 

Balboa,  Vasco  N.  de  (see  Nunez). 

Banks,  Sir  Joseph,  213,  214,  216-218,  221,  222>225,  229,  230, 
239,  242,  244,  245,  247,  248,  257,  285,  345. 

Barbinais,  Le  Gentil  de  la,  voyage  of,  175. 

Bolabola,  or  Borabora,  Island  of,  228,  260,  272, 285, 303,  306, 
310.  311. 

Bonechea,  Don  Domingo,- his  voyages,  302,  note. 

Borneo  visited  by  the  fleet  uf  Magellan,  48-50. 

Bougainville,  Louis  Antoine  de,  circumnavigation  of,  175-194 ; 
narrative  of  his  voyage,  176,  note ;  early  life  of,  176 ;  estab- 
lishes a  colony  on  the  Falkland  Islands,  177 ;  the  islands  ceded 
to  Spain,  180 ;  enters  the  Pacific,  182 ;  discovery  of  the  Dan- 
gerous Archipelago,  182,  183;  reaches  Otaheite,  184;  inci- 


358 


INDEX. 


dents  during  his  stay  there,  185-187 ;  departure  with  a  native 
on  board,  187 ;  discovery  of  the  Navigators'  Islands,  188;  of 
the  Grand  Cyclades,  190,  191 ;  singular  discovery  there,  190 ; 
discovery  of  the  Louisiade,  191  ;  visits  the  Solomon  Islands, 
ib. ;  discovers  Bougainville's  Straits,  192 ;  anchors  at  New 
Ireland,  ib. ;  reaches  the  Moluccas,  193 ;  interview  with  Car- 
teret, 174. 

Bougainville's  Straits,  192, 198,  275. 

Bouvet's  Land,  249,  250,  251,  280. 

Britain,  New,  166,  171, 172,  193. 

Brower,  Hendr'ck,  voyage  of,  110. 

Bucaniers,  expeditions  of,  111-113. 

Bull,  papal,  or  Martin  V.,  22;  of  Alexander  VI.,  22-24,  54;  dis- 
putes regarding,  54. 

Byron,  Hon.  John,  his  narrative  of  the  shipwreck  of  the  Wager, 
140 ;  his  circumnavigation,  142-151 ;  search  for  Pepy's  Islands, 
144 ;  interview  with  the  Patagonians,  145 ;  visits  the  Falk- 
lands,  147 ;  discovers  the  Islands  of  Disappointment  and  Kins 
George,  148 ;  visits  the  Islands  Prince  of  Wales,  Danger,  and 
Duke  of  York,  149,  150 ;  arrives  at  Tinian,  150 ;  reaches 
England,  151. 

C. 

Cabots,  the,  their  discoveries,  25. 

Cabral,  Pedro  Alvarez  de,  discovers  Brazil,  24. 

Caledonia,  New,  Island  of,  276,  348. 

Caroline  Islands,  56,  57,  59,  65,  72,  77, 113. 

Carteret,  Captain  Philip,  circumnavigation  of,  166-174 ;  discov- 
ers Pitcaim^s  Island,  166 ;  Osnaburg  Island,  167  ;  the  Islands 
of  Queen  Charlotte  or  Santa  Cruz,  169,  170 ;  visits  the  Solo- 
mon Islands,  171, 172 ;  diseovei's  a  strait  between  New  Brit- 
ain and  New  Ireland,  171, 172 ;  discovers  New  Hanover,  173; 
makes  the  Philippines,  ib. ;  arrival  in  England,  174. 

Cavendish,  Thojnas,  circumnavigation  of,  66. 

Circoncision,  Cape  de  la,  249.    (See  Bouvet's  Land.) 

Clerke,  Captain,  288,  304,  310,  321,  332, 340. 

Clipperton  and  Shelvocke,  circumnavigation  of,  116-121. 

Coleridge's  "  Rime  of  the  Ancient  Mariner,"  origin  of,  119. 

Columbus,  Don  Christopher,  his  discoveries,  21-23 ;  treatment 
of,  by  John  II.  of  Portugal,  32;  his  example  quoted  by  Qui- 
ros,  85  ;  ships  of,  213  ;  temper  of,  345. 

Cook,  Captain  James.  His  Life  previous  to  his  First  Voyage,  202 
— 214 ;  his  birth,  202  ;  education  and  apprenticeship,  203  ;  vol- 
unteers into  the  navy,  ib. ;  his  services  at  Quebec,  204 ;  made 
master  of  the  Northumberland,  205 ;  first  studies  mathematics 
and  astronomy,  205,  206 ;  his  marriage,  205 ;  appointed  ma- 
rine surveyor  of  Newfoundland,  206 ;  accuracy  ol  his  charts, 


INDEX. 


359 


ige,202 
;  vol- 
made 
matics 
id  ma- 
charts, 


ib. ;  is  promoted  to  the  rank  of  a  lieutenant,  and  appointed  to 
conduct  an  expedition  to  the  South  Sea,  212 ;  his  choice  of  a 
vessel,  ib. ;  receives  his  instructions  for  the  voyage,  214. 
Cook.    His  First  Circumnavigation,  215-245 ;  departure,  and  ar- 
rival at  Madeira,  215  ;  search  for  Pepys'  Island,  ib. ;  aHven- 
ture  of  a  party  on  Tierra  del  Fuego,  216-218 ;  discovery  of  the 
islands  of  Lagoon  and  Thrum  Cap,  219 ;  of  Bow,  ^e  Groups, 
and  Bird  Island,  220 ;  of  Chain  Island,  ib.  ;  arrival  at  Ota- 
heite,  ib. ;  theft  of  a  musket,  and  a  native  killed,  221  ;  Oberea 
and  Tootahah,  222 ;  the  quadrant  stolen,  ib. ;  preparations  for 
the  transit,  ib. ;  observations  of  Mr.  Green,  223  ;  circumnavi- 
gation of  Otaheite,  226 ;  desertion  of  two  marines,  ib.  ^  Tuaia, 
a  native  of  the  island,  taken  on  board,  ib. ;  discovery  of  Tetnu- 
Toa,227 ;  of  Huaheine,  ib. ;  of  11  lietea.  Tubal,  Maurua,  Otaha, 
and  Bolabola,  227,  228 ;  of  Oheteroa,  228 ;  arrival  at  New 
Zealand,  229 ;  affrays  with  the  natives,  230 ;  two  boys  taken 
prisoners,  231 ;  cruise  off  the  coast,  232-236 ;  discovery  of 
Cook's  Straits,  236,  237  ;  departure  from  New  Zealand,  237  ; 
reach  the  eastern  coast  of  New  Holland,  ib. ;  discovery  of 
Botany  Bay  and  Port  Jackson,  238-240 ;  narrow  escape  from 
shipwreck,  240-242 ;  a  kangaroo  seen,  241 ;  critical  situation 
of  the  vessel,  242 ;  the  country  named  New  South  Wales, 
243 ;  rediscovery  of  the  Strait  of  Torres,  ib. ;  mortality  at 
Batavia,  244  ;  arrival  in  England,  245 ;  interest  excited  by  the 
voyage,  ib. ;  Cook  promoted  to  the  rank  of  commander,  ib. 

.     His  Second  Circumnavigation,  246-286 ;  objects  of  the 

expedition,  246  ;  equipment  of  the  vessels,  ib. ;  calumny  refu- 
tea,  247,  note:  instructions  for  the  voyage,  249 ;.  search  for 
Bouvet's  Land,  251 ;  explores  the  Southern  Atlantic,  251-253 ; 
separation  of  the  ships,  252 ;  Aurora  Australia  seen,  ib. ;  he 
anchors  at  New  Zealand,  254 ;  reaches  Queen  Charlotte's 
Sound,  255 ;  is  joined  by  the  Adventure,  ib. ;  voyage  to  the 
east,  256 ;  discovery  of  Resolution,  Doubtful,  Furneaux,  and 
Adventure  Islands,  257 ;  arrival  at  Otaheite,  ib. ;  interview 
with  the  natives,  258 ;  visit  to  Huaheine  and  Ulietea,  259, 260 ; 
discovery  of  Hervey  Island,  260 ;  reach  the  Friendly  Islands, 
ib. ;  appearance  of  the  country,  261  ;  sail  for  New  Zealand ; 
the  Aaventure  lost  sight  of,  ib. ;  departure  from  New  Zealand 
and  voyage  to  the  south,  262  ;  sufferings  of  the  voyagers,  263 ; 
progress  towards  the  pole  arrested  in  latitude  71°  10',  ib. ; 
dangerous  illness  of  Cook,  265 ;  reach  Easter  Island,  ib. ;  in- 
habitants of,  and  monuments  at,  266-268  ;  rediscovery  of  the 
Islands  Las  Marquesas,  268;  incidents  there,  ib. ;  makes 
Tiookea  or  King  George's  Islands  of  Byron,  discovers  Palliser's 
Isles,  and  revisits  Otaheite,  269 ;  anchors  at  Huaheine  and 
Ulietea,  271 ;  sees  the  Howe  Island  of  Wallis,  272 ;  discovers 
'  '  Palmerston,  Savage,  and  Turtle  Islands,  and  anchors  at  the 


360 


INDEX. 


,  / 


Friendly  Oroup,  ib. ;  rediscovers  the  Australia  del  Espiritu 
Santo  of  Quires,  273 ;  touches  at  the  Islands  of  MallicoUo, 
Erromango,  and  Tanna,  273-275;  anchors  in  the  Bay  San 
Felipe  y  Santiago,  275 ;  denominates  the  archipelago  New 
Hebrides,  ib. ;  discovers  New  Caledonia,  276,  277 ;  Norfolk 
Island,  277;  makesthecoastof  New  Zealand,  ib. ;  run  across 
the  Pacific,  278,  279 ;  surveys  the  southern  shores  of  Tierra 
del  Fuego,  278 ;  rediscovers  New  Souih  Georgia,  279 ;  dis- 
covers  Southern  Thuleand  Sandwich  Land, 279. 280 ;  reaches 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  280 ;  letter  from  Captain  Furneaux, 
281;  results  of  the  voyage,  ib  ;  Cook  made  post-captain,  cap* 
tain  in  Greenwich  Hospital,  and  F.R.S.,  282 ;  his  method  of 
preserving  the  health  of  seamen,  282,  283,  note ;  receives  the 
Copley  medal,  283  ;  writes  the  history  of  his  voyage,  ib. 
Cook.  Hia  Third  Voyage,  287-343 ;  letter  to  Captain  Walker, 
288,  note ;  undertakes  the  command  of  the  expedition,  288 ; 
its  objects,  289 ;  history  of  the  voyage,  289,  note ;  search  for 
Kerguelen's  Land,  290 ;  reach  Van  Diemen's  Land,  ib. ;  ar- 
rival in  New  Zealand,  ib. ;  massacre  of  a  boat's  crew  of  the 
Adventure,  291 ;  discovery  of  Mangeea,  292 ;  of  Wateeoo,  293 ; 
landing  effected,  ib. ;  natives  of  the  Society  Isles  found  here, 
294 ;  visits  Otakootaia,  295 ;  Hervey  and  Palmerston  Islands, 
ib. ;  Savage  Island,  296 ;  arrival  at  the  Friendly  Islands,  ib. ; 
visits  the  Hapai  Group,  ib. ;  treacherous  plot  of  the  islanders, 
297 ;  interview  with  Touitonga,  298 ;  reception  at  Tongata- 
boo,299 ;  depredations  of  the  natives,  ib. ;  departure  from  the 
Tonga  Islands,  301 ;  Island  of  Toobouai,  ib.  ;  arrival  at  Ota- 
heite,  and  reception  of  Omai,  ib. ;  visits  of  the  Spaniards,  302, 
303,  note ;  incidents  during  his  stay  at  Otaheite,  302-306 ;  an- 
chors at  Eimeo,  306 ;  visits  Huaheme,  ib. ;  Omai  settled  there, 
307 ;  sails  to  Ulietea,  309 ;  to  Bolabola,  ^10 ;  voyage  to  the 
north,  311 ;  discovery  of  Christmas  Island,  ib. ;  of  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  312-315  ;  makes  the  coast  of  New  Albion,  315; 
anchors  in  iCootka  Sound,  ib. ;  appearance  of  the  natives,  316 ; 
enters  Prince  William's  Sound,  318;  arrives  at  Oonalaska, 
320 ;  death  of  Mr.  Anderson,  ib. ;  passes  Behring's  Straits, 
and  attains  the  latitude  of  70°  44'  N.,  when  his  progress  is  ar- 
rested, 322 ;  return  to  Oonalaska,  ib. ;  revisits  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  discovers  Maui  and  Owhyhee,  and  anchors  in  Kara- 
kaova  Bay,  323 ;  legend  of  the  god  Rono,  324 ;  Cook  is  wor- 
shipped as  this  deity,  324-327 ;  interview  with  the  king,  ib. ; 
his  anxiety  for  the  departure  of  the  voyagers,  328 ;  they  sail 
from  Karakaova  Bay,  but  are  obliged  to  return,  330;  altered 
appearance  of  the  harbour,  and  affray  with  the  natives,  ib  ; 
Cfook's  feelings  on  its  result,  331;  the  Discovery's  cutter 
stolen,  332 ;  Cook  goes  on  shore  to  recover  it,  ib. ;  nis  inter- 
Ti«w  with  the  king,  333 ;  the  nativei  become  tUibulent,  334 ; 


INDEX. 


861 


they  prepare  for  war,  334 ;  attack  the  voyaffers,  and  force  them 
into  the  water,  335 ;  Cook  lingers  behind,  and  is  stabbed  in 
the  neck,  336 ;  his  death,  337  ;  his  body  burnt,  338 ;  part  of 
his  remains  recovered,  ib. ;  his  bones  worshipped,  339 ;  thu 
voyage  to  the  north  resumed,  340  ;  death  of  Captain  Clerke, 
ib. ;  the  ships  anchor  at  Macao,  341 ;  trade  in  turs,  342 ;  ar- 
rival in  £ngland,  343 ;  fate  of  Cook's  ship,  the  Discovery,  ib., 
note. 

Cook.  Hia  Habits,  Talents,  and  Character,  343-355 ;  honours 
paid  to  him  after  his  death  at  home  and  abroad,  343;  medal 
struck  in  his  honour,  ib. ;  pension  to  his  widow  and  children, 
344 ;  monuments  erected  to  him,  ib. ;  his  personal  appearance 
and  temper,  345  ;  portraits  of  him,  ib. ;  domestic  habits  ;  his 
children  ;  his  widow,  346 ;  characteristics  of  his  intellect ;  its 
activity,  347 ;  his  perseverance,  348 ;  extent  and  importance 
of  his  discoveries,  348-350 ;  accuracy  of  his  charts,  surveys, 
and  descriptions,  350,  351 ;  his  discovery  of  the  means  of  pre- 
serving the  health  of  seamen,  351 ;  value  of  his  discoveries  to 
his  country,  ib. ;  benefits  to  the  countries  visited  resulting 
from  his  voyages,  352-354 ;  anticipation  of  still  greater  advan- 
tages, 354 ;  future  renown  of  Cook,  355. 

Cook,  Mrs.,  205,  206,  345,  346,  347. 

Cook's  River  or  Inlet,  320,  342. 

Cook's  Straits,  326. 

Crusoe,  Robinson,  61, 116. 

Cyclades,  L'Archipel  des  Grandes,  190, 273.    (See  New  Heb- 
rides.) 

D. 

Dampier,  William,  sails  under  Captain  John  Cook,  111 ;  vrith 

Captain  Swan,  112;  his  voyage  to  New  Holland,  113,  114; 

his  circumnavigation  of  the  world,  115, 116;  sails  as  pilot  to 

Woodes  Rogers,  116. 
Diaz,  Bartholomew,  discovers  the  Cape  of  Oood  Hope,  24. 
Drake,  Sir  Francis,  circumnavigation  of,  64,  65 ;  his  ship,  65, 

343. 
Dutch  vessels,  expedition  of  five,  72-74. 

E. 

Easter  Island  or  Davis's  Land,  112, 113, 122-126, 148, 166, 182, 
265, 266-268,  349. 

F. 

Falkland  Islands,  67,  73,  89,  111,  112,  113, 116, 122, 143, 147, 

151,  176-182. 
Fernandez,  Juan  de,  his  discoveries,  61,  63,  265. 
Forster,  George,  247, 248,  254, 261, 262, 263, 265, 266, 209, 277. 
.  Hh 


362 


INDEX. 


M 


If 


J 


Forster,  John  Reinhold,  108,  176,  178,  184,  185, 194,  247,  249. 
Friendly  Islands.    (See  Tonga  Islands.) 
Funnel,  circumnavigation  of,  116. 

Furneaux,  Captain,  158,  247,  252,  255,  256,  257,  259,  278,  281, 
284,  285,  290,^92. 

Gama,  Vasco  de,  voyage  of,  24. 
Georgia,  New,  192,  198. 
Georgia,  New  South,  HI,  113, 179,  279,  352. 
Gregory,  Professor  James,  his  discovery  of  the  means  of  ascer> 
taining  the  sun's  parallax  from  the  transits  of  the  planets,  208. 
Guinea,  New,  57,  77,  86,  94,  99,  100,  111,  113,  193, 196,200,243. 

H. 

Halley,  Dr.  Edmund,  elucidates  the  theory  of  planetary  transits, 

208 ;  directs  attention  towards  that  of  Venus,  209, 
Hawkins,  Sir  Richard,  voyage  of,  67 ;  Maiden-land  of,  ib.    (S<;e 

Falkland  Islands.) 
Hebrides,  New,  113,   169,   170,  188-190,  273-275,  348.    (See 

Australia  del  Espiritu  Santo.) 
Hermite,  Jacob  1',  circumnavigation  of,  102-105. 
Holland,  New,  86,  101,  106,  110,  111,  112,  113,  114,  175,  200; 

237-243,  246,  255,  256,  348. 
Horn,  Cape,  55,  64,  77,  90,  101,  102,  111,  113,  116,  119,  131, 132, 

139,  145,  176,  200,  219,  237,  278. 
Huaheine,  Island  of,  227,  259,  271,  284,  303,  306-309. 

I. 

Icy  Cape,  322. 

Ireland,  New,  99, 100,  166,  172, 173, 192, 193. 

K. 

Kergiielen,  discoveries  of,  289,  290,  348,  352. 
King,  Captain,  289,  325,  326,  328,  329,  330,  331,  332,  337,  338, 
339, 340,  341,  342,  348. 

L. 

Ladrone  Islands.    (See  Marian.) 

Legaspi,  M'chael  Lopez  de,  voyage  of,  60,  61. 

Le  Maire     (See  Schouten.) 

Le  Mair  ,  Strait  of,  90,  102,  110,  113,  119, 129, 130,  140,  216, 

278. 
Leon  Juan  Ponce  de,  sails  in  quest  of  the  Fountain  of  Youth, 

26.  196. 
Loujsiade,  191. 
Loyasa,  Garcia  Jofre  de,  expedition  of,  54-56. 


INDEX. 


363 


M. 

Magellan,  or  Magalhaens,  Fernando  de,  his  birth  and  early  life, 
30 ;  his  proposals  to  the  Portuguese  court  rejected,  31 ;  ac- 
cepted by  Charles  V.  of  Spain,  32;  sets  sail  from  San  Lucar, 
33 ;  mutiny  of  his  crew  in  Port  San  Julian,  ib. ;  interviews 
with  the  Patagonians,  34 ;  description  of  them,  34,  35  ;  dis- 
covery of  the  Strait  of  Magellan,  36 ;  passes  through  it,  37 ; 
enters  the  South  Sea,  38 ;  discovers  the  islands  Las  Desven- 
turadas,  ib. ;  passage  across  the  Pacific,  39 ;  discovery  of  the 
Ladrone  or  Marian  Islands,  and  transactions  there,  39, 40 ;  ar- 
rives at  the  Philippines,  40 ;  incidents  daring  his  visit  to  Ma- 
zagua  or  Limasava,  40-42  ;  arrival  at  Zebu,  42 ;  conversion 
and  manners  of  the  inhabitants,  43,  44 ;  war  against  the  King 
of  Matan,  44 ;  death  of  Magellan,  45  ;  his  character,  45,  46 ; 
fate  of  his  ship,  53,  343  ;  results  of  his  voyage,  53. 

Magellan,  Straits  of,  55,  56,  64,  65,  66,  67,  72,  74,  77,  78,  86,  87, 
88,  90, 101,  102, 103, 118, 141,  143,  145,  146,  147,  148, 152,  166, 
178,  182,  200,  278. 

Maitea,  or  Osnaburg  Island,  80,  154,  184,  220,  257,  303,  note. 

Mallicollo,  or  Manicolo,  Island  of,  83,  273,  275. 

Malouine  Islands.    (See  Falkland  Islands.) 

Marian,  or  Ladrone  Islands,  39, 40,  55, 56,  59,  60, 66,74,  77,  105, 
112,  116,  118,  136,  137,  150,  165,  195. 

Marion  du  Fresne,  M.,  voyage  of,  195. 

Marquesas,  Las,  the  islands,  69,  77,  213,  268,  269,  304,  349. 

Mendana  de  Neyra,  Alvaro  de,  first  expedition  of,  62, 63 ;  second 
voyage  of,  68-72;  his  discovery  of  Las  Marquesas,  69  ;  of  the 
island  of  Santa  Cruz,  70;  his  death  and  character,  71. 

Missionaries,  Spanish,  settled  in  Otaheite,  302,  303  ;  voyage  of 
English  to  the  South  Sea,  305,  note ;  English  in  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  339  ;  success  in  the  South  Sea,  352-355. 

Moluccas,  or  Spice  Islands,  32,  46,  48,  51,  62,  54,  56,  57,  77,  86, 
87,  94,  100,  105,  193. 

N. 

Nassau  fleet,  circumnavigation  of,  101-105. 
Navigators'  Islands,  126,  188. 
Nodals,  expedition  of,  101. 
Noort,  Olivier  Van,  circumnavigation  of,  73,  76. 
Nootka  Sound,  315-317. 

Nunez  de  Balboa,  Vasco,  hears  of  th  't  Pacific,  27  ;  discovers 
it,  28 ;  his  fate,  29,  76,  note. 

O. 

Omai,  a  native  of  Ulietea,  brought  to  England  by  Captain  Fur- 
neaux,  259,  2cJl,  285,  289, 292,  293,  294, 296, 301  304, 306-309. 


il 


364 


INDEX. 


! 


Otaheite,  81,  82, 150,  154-165,  158,  166,  184-187,  188,  199,  213, 
214,  220-223,  225-227,  256,  257-259,  269-271,  288,  301-306, 
310,  311,  312,  353. 

Owhyhee,  or  Hawaii,  323-340, 344. 

Oxenham,  John,  the  first  Englishmsoi  that  sailed  on  the  Pacific, 
64. 

P. 

Pacific  Ocean,  unknown  to  the  ancients,  17-19;  its  eastern 
shores  reached  by  Marco  Polo,  19;  heard  of  by  Columbus, 
21 ;  by  Vasco  Nunez  de  Balboa,  27 ;  discovered  by  him,  27- 
29 ;  origin  of  the  name  of  South  Sea,  29 ;  state  of  knowledge 
regarding  it  (1519),  29 ;  origin  of  the  name  Pacific,  39 ;  prog- 
ress of  discovery  in,  from  Magellan  to  the  close  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  76,  77 ;  superstitions  regarding,  78 ;  discov- 
eries in  during  the  seventeenth  century,  112-114 ;  view  of  the 
discoveries  in  previous  to  Cook's  first  voyage,  199-201 ;  run 
of  Cook  and  Fumeaux  across,  278 ;  islands  in,  how  peopled, 
294 ;  trade  in,  351 ;  idolatry  overthrown  in  the  principal 
groups  of,  352. 

Papua.    (See  New  Guinea.) 

Patagonians,  34-36,  89,  145-147, 152, 182. 

Pelew  Islands,  56,  65,  77,  198. 

Pepys'  Island,  111,  143, 144,  147, 179,  note,  215.  (See  Falkland 
Islands.) 

Philippines,  or  Archipelago  of  St.  Lazarus,  40-48,  42,  59,  60,  61, 
65,  72,  74,  77,  112,  135,  139,  173,  195,  196,199,  353. 

Pitcaim's  Island,  166, 167, 199,  256. 

Polo,  Marco,  his  travels,  19 ;  reaches  the  Asiatic  margin  of  the 
Pacific,  ib. ;  his  description  of  Japan,  19, 20. 

Q. 

Quiros,  Pedro  Fernandez  de,  sails  as  pilot  to  Mendana,  68-72 ; 
his  voyage  an*  discoveries,  79-85. 

R. 

Roche,  La,  voyage  of.  111. 
Rogers,  Woodes,  circumnavigation  of,  116. 
Roggewein,  Jacob,  circumnavigation  of,  121-127. 
Rono,  or  Orono,  a  god  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  324,  325, 326, 
327,  329,  ?:^1,  337,  note,  338,  339,  354. 

S. 

Saavedra,  Alvaro  de,  expedition  of,  56-58. 

Sandwich  Islands,  312-315,  323-340,  349,  350,  352,  353,  354. 

Sandwich  Land,  280,  348. 

Santa  Cruz,  Island  of,  70-72,  77, 170. 


INDEX. 


365 


Sarmiento  de  Gamboa,  Pedro,  voyage  of,  65. 

Schouten  and  Le  Maire,  circumnavigation  of,  87-101 ;  one  of 
their  ships  burnt,  88 ;  they  discover  Staten  Land,  Strait  Le 
Maire,  and  Cape  Horn,  90 ;  anchor  at  Cocos  Island,  92 ;  in- 
cidents during  their  stay  at  Hoorn  island,  94-98  ;  arrive  at  the 
Moluccas,  100 ;  their  ship  confiscated,  101 ;  narratives  of  their 
voyage,  87,  note. 

Shelvocke  and  Clipperton,  circumnavigation  of,  117-121. 

Shortland,  Lientenant,  voyage  of,  J  9^. 

Society  Islands,  113,  126,  150,  228,  292.  294,  329,  349,  350. 

Solander,  Dr.,  214,  216-218,  220,  222-224,  229,  239,  244,  245, 
247  248   285   286 

Solomon  Island's,  62,  63,  68,  70,  168,  169,  171,  191,  192,  196-198. 

Southern  Continent,  belief  in,  77;  vovage  of  Schouten  and  Le 
Maire  in  search  of,  87-101  ;  uncertainty  regarding,  200 ;  its 
fancied  splendour  and  extent,  201 ;  New  Zealand  mistaken 
for  it,  229 ;  question  of  its  existence  still  agitated,  and  Cook 
sent  out  to  determine  the  point,  246 ;  Cook's  opinion  with  re- 
gard to  it,  280  ;  question  of,  finally  set  at  rest  by  him,  348. 

South  Sea.    (See  Pacific  Ocean.) 

Spaniards,  visit  of,  to  Otaheite  in  the  time  of  Cook,  302, 303, 
note,  306. 

Spilbergen,  George,  circumnavigation  of,  86,  87, 

Strong,  Captain  John,  voyage  of,  112. 

Sufville,  M.,  expedition  of,  195-198. 


u 


>  i 


Tasman,  Abel  Jansen,  voyages  of,  106-111 ;  he  discovers  Van 

Diemen's   Land,  106;  New  Zealand,  lb.;  the  Friendly  or 

Tonga  Islands,  10(i  112. 
Tonga  or  Friendly  Islands.  106-112, 113,  195,  200,  213,  260,  261, 

295,  296-302,  307.  327,  329,  337,  349,  351. 
Torres,  Luis  Vaez  de,  sails  as  pilot  with  Quiros,  79 ;  discover* 

ies  of,  after  his  separation  from  Quiroa,  85, 86. 
Torres,  Strait  of,  86,  94,  101,  200,  243,  348. 
Transit  of  Venus.     (See  Venus.) 
Tupia,  a  native  of  Otaheita,  226, 227,  228,  229,  230, 231, 236,238, 

244,  257,  285. 

Ulietea  or  Raiatea,  island  of,  227,  259,  260,  271,  272,  '^Si,  285, 
303,  304,  306, 307,  309,  310. 


Vancouver,  Mr ,  331. 

Van  Diemen's  Land,  106,  111,  113,  195,  200,  237,  238,  255,  266, 
290.  '  , 

Hh2 


366 


INDEX. 


Yenus,  transits  of  the  planet,  history  of,  207-211 ;  prediction  of 
Kepler  .07 ;  observation  of  Horrox,  ib. ;  appreciation  of  their 
uses  by  Gregory,  ib. ;  by  Halley,  208 ;  transit  of  1761,  210, 
21 1 ;  preparations  for  that  of  1769, 211;  expedition  to  the  South 
Sea,  212  ;  observations  at  Otaheite  and  Eimeo,  222,  223 ;  in 
other  parts  of  the  world,  224,  225 ;  results  of,  225. 

Vespucci,  Amerigo,  question  as  to  his  discoveries,  nc,  130, 279. 

Yillalobos,  Ruy  Lopez  de,  expedition  of,  59. 

W. 

Wager  frigate,  one  of  Anson's  squadron,  disastrous  shipwreck 
of,  139-141. 

Wales,  New  South,  198,  243,  351. 

Wallis,  Captain  Samuel,  circumncvigation  of,  151-166 ;  discov- 
ers Whitsunday  and  Queen  Charlotte's  Islands,  153 ;  Egmont, 
Gloucester,  Cumberland,  and  Prince  William  Henry  Islands, 
153,  154;  Osnaburg,  154;  arrival  at  Otaheite,  ib. ;  astonish- 
ment of  the  natives,  155 ;  they  attack  the  boats,  156 ;  general 
assault  on  the  Dolphin,  157;  defeat  of  the  savages,  158  ;  they 
renew  hostilities,  159  ;  peace  concluded,  160 ;  visit  of  Oberea, 
161 ;  a  party  sent  to  explore  the  island,  163 ;  preparations  for 
departure,  164;  tender  adieus  of  Oberea,  164,  165,  note;  dis- 
covery of  Eimeo,  Tabuaemanu,  Howe,  Sciily,  Keppel,  and 
Boscawen  Islands,  165 ;  Wallis  Island,  ib. ;  arrival  in  Eng- 
land, 166. 

Z. 

Zealand,  New,  63,  106,  113,  195,  197,  200,  201,  214,  229-237, 
246,  254-256,  261,  262,  276,  277, 278,  288,  290,  291,  292, 295, 
304,  307,  309,  348,  360,  351,  354. 


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